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HECTOR, MY DOG 


HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY 


By 

EGERTON R. YOUNG 

»\ 

Author of“ By Cajioe and Dog-Train ” 
“ My Dogs in the Northland etc . 


Illustrated by 
HARRY BURGESS 



W. A. WILDE COMPANY 

BOSTON CHICAGO 




Copyright, 1905 
By W. A. Wilde Company 
All rights reserved 

Hector, My Dog 
, His Autobiography 


iJ-iftRARY 01 v;n®rc;ss|! 

; f\»«, Oopitte riecavoy 

oct m 

(Pcsf'. V. / 9 Old 

a. yji* m 

/xi t rx 

ttOpY 8„ 

I 1st: 


Entered at Stationers' Hall, London 


To all lovers of the dog : 

All Hector humbly asks is that he who 
reads this story will be loving and pa- 
tient with his dog: the only creature 
that has absolutely surrendered himself 
to his master and this with a love so 
complete and abiding that if need be he 
would for him rather die than live . 







CONTENTS 

I. In the Nest of a Wild Goose 
II. Returning to the Master . 

III. Going to School . 

IV. Unconquered by Cruelty . 

V. New and Happy Life . 

VI. Accepted as Playmate 

VII. Conquered by Loye 

VIII. A Regular Sleigh-dog 

IX. Ambition and Jealousy 

X. Christmas Week* . 

XI. Wolf Stories 
XII. The Dog Council . 

XIII. Nelson and Black 


11 

22 

34 

45 

57 

69 

83 

97 

110 

123 

137 

151 

165 


7 


8 Contents 


XIV. 

The Journey to Winnipeg . 

• 

182 

XV. 

On the Trail 

. 

192 

XVI. 

Attacked by Wolves . 

. 

206 

XVII. 

Fort Garry and Winnipeg . 

. 

219 

XVIII. 

The Keepers Outwitted 

. 

231 

XIX. 

“ Dogs Will be Dogs ” 

. 

246 

XX. 

A Sleigh Load of Bread 

. 

258 

XXI. 

u Going Home ” 

. 

270 

XXII. 

Summer Holidays . 

. 

283 

XXIII. 

Old Xestor .... 

. 

296 

XXIV. 

Bears 

. 

309 

XXV. 

Sagastao’s Question . 

. 

320 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

“He suddenly sprang at him” 

Frontispiece 49 ^ 

“I FOUND MYSELF . . . PROMPTLY OBEY- 
ING MY LITTLE ' MASTER ” . . . 87 ^ 

“The largest wolf i ever saw . . . 

CAME JUMPING STRAIGHT FOR OUR LIT- 
TLE master” 129 '' 

“With roarings and shriekings . . . 

THE TERRIBLE BLIZZARD STORM PASSED 

OVER US” 220 

“While his great paws were trying 

TO GIVE ME A DEATH HUG, THEY SPRANG 
IN UPON HIM ” 318 



HECTOR, MY DOG 

His Autobiography 





9 


Hector, My Dog 

His Autobiography 


I 

IN THE NEST OF A WILD GOOSE 


g: 


I RAND old Hector ! ” 

Thus said my master, as coming along 
he greets me in his cheery way. 

“ Glad to see you out enjoying the sunshine of 
this pleasant day. Hope you are better of your 
rheumatism ? Aye, old fellow ! ” 

As well as I can, with my old cracked voice, I 
bark out my thankfulness for his kindly notice of 
me. 


“ That’s right, old Hector ! Have a good time 
while you can, for it was not always like this for 
us both; was it, my faithful old doggie?” 

And then my master, as though the utterance 
of these last words brings up some of the thrill, 
ing memories of the past, turns back and comes 
and sits down on a bench near me. As I 
go and put my old head upon his knee, his hand, 


12 


Hector, My Dog 

as it has often been before, is placed lovingly 
upon it. Then looking into my eyes he says : 

“ Yes, old doggie, we have had many strange 
adventures together, of which the world knows 
but little. You could tell of many a cold wintry 
storm we have faced together; or how often we 
have been caught out in the howling blizzards, 
where the raging tempests roared around us like 
wild beasts determined to overwhelm us. But in 
God’s mercy, you and your comrades brought me 
in safety to some haven of refuge. It was in- 
deed a desperate struggle more than once ere 
that race for life was won. 

“Wise old doggie! How can I help loving 
you, when that great fierce wolf was resolved to 
make a meal of my boy, you took the wisest 
course possible, and, with your comrades, traveled 
at such a rate that you prevented him from mak- 
ing his deadly spring, and so brought the lad 
safely home. 

“ Yes, indeed ! Your gallant deeds are very 
many, and it is a shame that they should be for- 
gotten. But you and I remember them, and 
thousands of others ought to know about them 
too.” 

But just here there joined us the kind mistress, 
and the children of the house, with the word that 
the Indian canoe-men were waiting to take them 
all out on the beautiful sunlit waters of the lake. 


In the Nest of a Wild Goose 13 

Ere they left me, each one of them stroked my 
head and said some kindly words. Then they 
left me to rest in the warm sunshine and to be 
thankful that now my hard-working days were 
over, I was still lovingly cared for. 

As I lay there thinking of the kindnesses of 
my master to me, and of the chat we had just 
had, which had so brought up the memories of 
the past, I tried to see how far I could succeed 
in getting my memory to bring up the incidents 
of my life. 

Once when listening to some people talking, I 
heard one say : “ Yes, even dogs have good 

memories.” Another man then said : “ I know 

that is true, for once when I was angry I kicked 
a young dog without any reason, and now that 
he has grown big and strong he growls and shows 
his teeth whenever I go near him, and seems to 
say : £ I have not forgotten your cruelty, and 

will get even with you yet.’ ” 

Well I am glad that revengeful dogs are not 
many. I am sure that I can truthfully say that 
we dogs are quick to forget our wrongs, and that 
we lick the hand that is reached out in regret 
and kindness, even if not long before it held the 
stick that cruelly beat us. 

Our devotion to our masters, be they kind or 
cruel, is so well known that it has won for us 
many friends. 


14 


Hector, My Dog 

But I am wandering from my subject — What 
I wanted to say, was, that many dogs have 
good memories, and so while mine is still good, 
I have been thinking that I ought to jot down 
some of the stirring events of my life, with the 
adventures that have occurred with the many 
splendid dogs with which I have toiled. 

This thought, which has now been in my mind 
for quite a while, has been very much increased 
by what I have lately heard said by my master 
and mistress, as one pleasant summer day I lay 
at their feet as they read and talked with each 
other. 

That day the little daughter, whom everybody 
loves, and whom they call Minnehaha, was out 
with them. Looking up from the book which 
she had been reading, she said : 

“ Father dear, I see on the back of that book 
which you are reading, the big word ‘ Autobiog- 
raphy.’ What does it mean ? ” 

“ Why, my darling,” was the answer, “ when a 
man writes the story of his own life, it is called 
his autobiography. Suppose,” he added laugh- 
ingly (as he patted my head), “Hector here 
should write all about his queer adventures and 
his wonderful experiences as a sleigh-dog, we 
would call it the Autobiography of Hector.” 

Then the little girl laughed with great delight 
at the idea, and said : “ Would it not be funny if 


In the Nest of a Wild Goose 15 

Hector would really write his Autobiography ? 
I am sure everybody would like to read it.” 

Of course everybody laughed at the idea of a 
dog writing his Autobiography. I too, had to 
bark out my delight, as I heard my name so fre- 
quently mentioned, and I knew by the kindly 
way in which it was repeated, that they were 
saying something nice and pleasant about me. 
For dogs do dearly love to be kindly spoken 
about, as well as spoken kindly to. 

Then Minnehaha, who had become greatly in- 
terested in the matter, and did not want to let 
the subject drop, said : 

“ Well, could we not help Hector in the matter, 
and the book still be his autobiography ? ” 

But the father said : “ Some dogs (and Hector 

is one of them) know more and can do more 
than most people give them credit for. Let us 
allow him to proceed in his own way.” 

So hearing these, and many other things, I 
have pondered over them, and have come to the 
conclusion to try it, and will do the very best I 
can. 

Of course, before finally deciding, I asked the 
opinions of some of the other dogs. Some of 
them were a bit doubtful about it, and said their 
impression was, that men and women and boys 
and girls, were so busy with their own affairs, 
that they would not take time to read what a 


1 6 Hector, My Dog 

dog’s thoughts were, and of the adventures of 
dog-life. Others said there will be much criti- 
cism, for people are not in the habit of having 
things written from the standpoint of a dog. 
Most of the dogs however were very enthu- 
siastic about it and said it was a capital idea, 
and that amidst the multitudes of books, which 
men and women have written, one from a dog 
that had passed through so many adventures, 
and with his comrades had had so many thrill- 
ing experiences as I have had, would form most 
interesting reading to the tens of thousands of 
people that we dogs have heard of, who are fond 
of dogs, and love to read interesting things about 
them. 

Koona, the white Esquimaux dog, was the 
most persistent opposer. He feared that I would 
show him up in his true colors, which as an 
“ honest and impartial writer ” (I think those are 
the correct words), my readers will see I have done. 

At length after many discussions, and I am 
afraid, much “ dogmatizing ” it was finally de- 
cided by a very large majority that I should 
make the venture. 

The matter of writing the Autobiography be- 
ing thus finally settled, the question that next 
concerned me was, where and how to begin. I 
thought out many plans and drafted out many 
elaborate chapters with their thrilling climaxes. 


In the Nest of a Wild Goose 17 

Of these I soon became ashamed, for I honestly 
wanted this book to be just the story of dog-life, 
and told as a dog would tell it. 

So I am going to begin at the beginning of my 
earliest recollections, and bring my readers with 
me, on and on, through many of the adventures 
and incidents of my dog-life, in which, of course, 
to make the story more complete, must be woven 
much referring to my dog-companions. 

So as a dog would talk, in my own way, I 
begin my story. 

My first recollection is in finding myself stowed 
away, with five other little puppies, in the nest 
of a wild goose, with the cold waters rushing 
along on each side of our nest. 

How I and my little brother puppies got there, 
I can only tell as the story was given to us by 
our mother. 

It is quite a long one, but I can remember it as 
though only told us yesterday. 

Our mother said that she was one of four dogs 
owned by an Indian, who in the summer time 
was a tripper for the Hudson Bay Company, en- 
gaged in carrying with hundreds of others, goods 
into the interior of the country. During the 
winter months he was employed by the same fur 
company, with his train of dogs, in traveling 
from one trading post to another, carrying pack- 
ets and letters as required. 


i8 


Hector, My Dog 

The work was very hard, as the snow was 
often very deep, and the cold at times was ter- 
rible. 

The only satisfaction that we dogs in the train 
had, was that although we were worked very 
hard, we were well fed, as the great company 
allowed two good white fish a day, to each dog, 
during the whole of the winter months, whether 
we were on the trail, or resting at the different 
trading posts. 

When the spring arrived, and the snow and ice 
melted away, the work of the dogs was over. 
There was nothing for them to do. Their life 
was one holiday, until the next winter’s work 
began. 

But there were some sad drawbacks to the 
pleasures of the summer holidays. The principal 
one was the fact that the Indians, unlike the 
white people, did not take much care of their 
dogs when they were not working them. The 
result was, they were little better than scavengers 
and thieves, and some who hung around the vil- 
lages in summer were starved to death. Others, 
however, were more independent, and so, or- 
ganizing themselves into parties, they wandered 
into the interior of the country, and especially up 
the rivers where there were shallow marshy 
places, into which the jack and pike and rnaske- 
longe and other kinds of fish were frequently 


In the Nest of a Wild Goose 19 

found. There by industriously hunting and fish- 
ing, they managed to make a decent living. 
Then when the ice began to freeze on the lakes 
and rivers again, they returned to their masters 
at the Indian villages. 

It was on one of these summer outings, made 
by my mother in company with other Indian dogs, 
scores of miles away from the Indian village, 
where dwelt her master, that I was born. 

My mother had prepared a cozy nest among 
some fallen trees w T ith plenty of dry leaves and 
dry hay from a beaver meadow. 

But we were not allowed to remain there very 
long, as unfortunately, a very severe rain storm 
began, which continued for several days. The 
spot selected for us by our mother was in quite a 
sheltered hollow, and so when the water began 
to spread over the land, we were speedily flooded 
out. At first all our mother could do for us, was 
to lift us, one by one, by the nape of our neck, up 
on to the highest of the logs near at hand. 
There we had all we could do to cling to the wet 
slippery bark, and yelp. 

Our poor mother was almost distracted at our 
pitiable condition and cries. Then she remem- 
bered having seen the nest of a pair of wild 
geese, that had already hatched their brood and 
gone away. Giving us some supper as well as 
she could on the trunk of the tree, and then tell- 


20 


Hector, My Dog 

ing us to hold on as well as we could, away she 
ran and swam to see if that nest was still where 
she had observed it. To her joy and delight, she 
found it high and almost dry, so wisely had it 
been built by the clever old geese. 

Hurrying back to the log, she seized us one by 
one, by the nape of our necks, and swam with us 
to the cozy retreat which was some feet above 
the highest point reached by the flood. 

When we had been safely carried over by our 
clever loving mother, after she had well shaken 
off the water from her warm coat, she lay down 
in the nest with us. There, cuddled up to her, 
we soon got so warm and comfortable, that we 
forgot all of our dangers and hardships. 

The floods soon disappeared, but there were so 
many fish left in the shallow pools, that our 
mother and the other dogs had all they could eat. 
Thus we puppies grew fat and big, and it was 
while there that there came to me these first 
vivid recollections of my life. 

We often heard strange sounds in the forests 
around us, as we lay there cuddled up in our 
comfortable nest. Sometimes our mother would 
crouch down low and hush us into complete 
silence, as we would hear far off in the woods, 
some strange howling which our wise mother said 
was made by wolves. If they happened to come 
near, our mother would even tremble, and we 


In the Nest of a Wild Goose 21 


noticed that all the rest of the dogs kept very 
quiet and still. When the howlings had died 
away in the distance, then our mother would tell 
us that those wolves were very savage and would 
soon make a meal of us if they found us. 

One day, while our mother was away trying to 
catch rabbits or fish, a queer looking brown ani- 
mal with short legs and big feet, came and looked 
at us. His wild eyes and queer growls made us 
puppies very much afraid, and we yelped out our 
fears, as loudly as we could. Our mother and 
some other dogs heard us, and as rapidly as pos- 
sible, they came to see what had alarmed us. 

They almost ran against this strange wild ani- 
mal which had so frightened us, and which we 
were afterwards told was a wolverine. 

The dogs sprang upon him and there was a 
great battle before they killed him. Wolverines 
are very fierce, and when attacked, fight with 
great fury. One dog alone has but little chance 
against such a cunning fighter. 

Our mother, who had received an ugly wound, 
was weak for some days. She told us that we 
had had a very narrow escape, as wolverines 
always kill all living things they can master, even 
if they do not need them for food. 


II 


RETURNING TO THE MASTER 

T HE narrow escape we had from the wol- 
verine very much frightened us puppies, 
and so on the fine days when we went 
out of our nest to play, we did not go far away. 

And yet in spite of all our care, it was not 
many days before we had another great fright. 
It was while we were out of our nest, playing 
and romping around. Everything had seemed 
so quiet and safe, when all at once from a big 
tree above us, we heard something like this : 

“ Hoot-a-hoot-a-hoo ! ” 

We rushed yelping for all we were worth back 
to our nests in a great hurry. When our watch- 
ful mother heard us (for since our narrow es- 
cape from the wolverine she did not go very far 
away), she came rushing to us, and anxiously 
looking around, she enquired as to the cause of 
our fears. 

We tried to tell her as well as we could what 
it was that had so frightened us, and just then 
while we were talking in our young puppy -dog 
way, there sounded out again : 

“ Hoot-a-hoot-a-hoo ! ” 


22 


Returning to the Master 23 

We were indeed terribly frightened, and cud- 
died down very closely to her. 

But our wise mother only laughed as much as 
a dog can laugh, and told us that all the sounds 
around us did not come from savage animals like 
wolves and bears and wolverines. 

Then she quieted our fears by telling us that 
these hoot-a-hoot-a-hoos, were only from a bird 
called an owl, that lived on mice and young rab- 
bits, and would not attack fine little doggies that 
had grown as big as we were. 

We were very glad to hear this from our 
mother, who was very patient with us, and gave 
us so many lessons that we soon learned the dif- 
ference between the sounds which meant danger, 
and those which would do us no harm. 

One day, a queer-looking animal came along 
when our mother was cuddled down in the nest 
with us. When she saw it she hushed us into 
perfect silence, and we all lay very quiet. Some- 
times that strange creature came quite close to 
us, but it did not seem to notice us at all. It 
was about as large as a small-sized dog. Its 
color was black, but it had two queer stripes of 
white on its body, and it had a very bushy tail 
which it carried high over its back. 

T am sure it saw us, but it just went on hunt- 
ing for grasshoppers and beetles and bugs, which 
it caught and swallowed very cleverly. 


24 


Hector, My Dog 

When it seemed to have caught all of these 
things which it could find around our nest, it 
slowly moved away from us, but always on the 
lookout for its queer food. 

As it moved along, it happened to go to a 
place where some of our dogs generally slept 
when they were not hunting or fishing. Some 
of the dogs were there at the time, and saw it 
coming towards them. Instead of quietly going 
away and letting this animal pick up what grass- 
hoppers and beetles it could find, and then go on 
to some other place, they very foolishly resolved 
to remain in their sleeping-places, and, if needs 
be, fight for them. 

What happened I was of course too small to 
see, but I did hear first a growl or two as the 
dogs made their attack. These were soon fol- 
lowed by some cries and yells of distress, and 
then we saw some frightened dogs dash by our 
nest and rush out into the river, and there bury 
themselves in the water, with only a small part 
of their heads to be seen. And at almost the 
same time, we were all nearly choked by some 
most dreadful-smelling stuff. It made us cough 
and sneeze, and our eyes to smart very much. 

We puppies were frightened, but when we saw 
our mother, who had sat up and thus had been 
able to see what had happened, fairly grin with 
delight, we felt certain that the danger was over. 


Returning to the Master 25 

But what it was, we had to wait until it was all 
explained to us. 

Our good mother did not keep us long waiting. 
She told us that that queer looking animal, with the 
black coat and white stripes and bushy tail, was a 
skunk. She said that it was afraid of no living 
creature, and never began a fight. She told us 
that it lived on bugs and beetles and grasshop- 
pers, as we had seen. 

One strange habit it had, and that was, it never 
got out of the way of any animal, but expected 
all in the woods or fields to move aside when it 
came along looking for its food. 

The trouble has been with those dogs, said our 
mother, that they would not move aside as that 
skunk went near them. If they had done so 
there would have been no trouble, and doubtless 
it would have been for their comfort, for if that 
skunk had had charge of their sleeping place for 
a few minutes, it would have cleared it of a num- 
ber of very troublesome insects of various kinds. 
But no ! the dogs must get up a fight with that 
skunk, and of course were quickly conquered. 

The skunk does not fight with its teeth. It 
has a sack filled with that vile-smelling stuff, 
with which the air seems now so full, and which 
will remain around us for many days. When the 
dogs sprang at it, the skunk just threw some of 
the stuff in their faces. It nearly blinded and 


26 


Hector, My Dog 

smothered them. No dog will face it the second 
time. It takes all the fight out of even the 
fiercest of them, and so they have rushed, as you 
saw, into the water for relief, but it will cling to 
them and make them miserable for many days. 

So there we young dogs learned our first 
lesson regarding skunks, and it was, that it was 
the best plan to give them a wide berth ; and 
that even if they could be conquered, they were 
not of much value, and their flesh would be but a 
poor return for the horrid-smelling substance 
with which they would so thoroughly bespatter 
us. 

Thus as the pleasant months went by, we were 
learning lessons that were of service to us as the 
years roiled on. We soon became accustomed to 
the different sounds of the forest, and were able 
to distinguish between those which meant danger, 
and those which were harmless. We also learned 
that those sounds which were the loudest were 
not the ones always to be most feared. 

Thus as I recall these memories of my early 
days, I think that on the whole I had a happy 
time. Our mother was very kind to us, and there 
was plenty of food. Our only fears were of the 
passing bear or fierce wildcat or wolverines, and 
very rarely the distant howling of the great gray 
wolves. 

So we were very sorry indeed when one morn- 


Returning to the Master 27 

ing our mother told us that some pretty little 
white things like feathers which fell around us, 
were the signs that very soon we would all have 
to leave that cozy home, and go far away to a 
place where the master lived. 

We little puppies, born out there in the woods, 
and never having seen anything but what was in 
the wild life around us, of course did not under- 
stand what she meant when our mother talked 
of the master. But we have found it all out 
since. 

When we woke up the next morning, the few 
little white feathery things that had so amused 
us puppies as we chased them the day before, had 
become so numerous that the very ground was 
white with them. 

The old dogs, with their wise heads and long 
experience, knew what they meant. So they all 
gathered around our nest, and held a council, and 
our mother soon after informed us that we were 
to move out and start on a long journey the very 
next day. 

I can never forget that long journey, not only 
on account of its length and weariness to my 
young brothers and myself, but also for the fact 
that it was then that we first met with those 
queer creatures who walk on two legs, and whom 
we soon found were our masters, and many of 
them I found were our best friends. 


28 


Hector, My Dog 

It seemed so strange to us little puppies, who 
were only about four months old, to be obliged 
to trudge along with a lot of dogs hour after 
hour for several days together. The old dogs 
showed us no sympathy as they eagerly pressed 
on. Even our mother, who had always been so 
kind to us, would now by little nips and bites, 
punish us if we dared to loiter on the way. 

Fortunately for us, the days had again become 
pleasant, and so without much discomfort we 
were able to move on from place to place, where 
the nights were spent. The dogs did not make 
us travel very many miles every day, as they had 
to stop at various places and hunt for fish and 
game. Some nights our mother would bring us 
a supper of fish which she had caught, and once 
she caught a nice young rabbit which she divided 
among us. 

Thus on and on we traveled, and then there 
came to us one of the greatest frights of our 
young lives. We had been trudging along near 
our mother in company with the other dogs, 
when suddenly we came out of the woods, and 
there right before us, were a number of what we 
afterwards found out were called wigwams and 
houses. And what was more amazing to us, and 
filled us with terror, was that there were a 
number of queer-looking creatures who walked 
on only two legs. Some of them were tall, and 


Returning to the Master 29 

others only of medium height, while others were 
quite small. 

My brother puppies and I, who had never seen 
such queer looking creatures, wanted to turn 
round and rush back into the forest, but this our 
stern mother would not permit. 

The strangest mystery of all now came to us. 
The big dogs of our pack, and our mother among 
them, boldly advanced to these wigwams and 
among these queer looking two-legged creatures. 
And instead of being alarmed and frightened at 
the sight of them, they began wagging their tails 
and barking out their greetings. They were 
actually saying to them in their dog-language, 
that they were really glad to see them. 

We poor ignorant puppies, born in the woods, 
could not understand it or make it out. 

We were indeed amazed when our own mother, 
who could be so savage when she liked, actually 
listened to some sounds that seemed so strange 
to us, which came from one of these large two- 
legged creatures, and at once with wagging tail 
and bow-wows of delight, she rushed off to the 
spot where he stood, and really and truly let him 
pat her on the head and back. 

We puppies could stand it no longer, and as 
our mother was not now near us to restrain us, 
we turned tail and with howls and yelps of fear, 
we dashed back into the forest. Nor did we stop 


30 


Hector, My Dog 

running until we were far away in the woods, 
well out of sight of those tall creatures that had 
so frightened us. 

When our first fright was over, and we found 
ourselves alone out in the dark woods, well we 
just sat up and cried for our mother. And she 
let us cry there all night, and did not come for 
us until the next day. 

When we heard our mother calling, we were 
very glad, for the night had been very cold, and 
in the darkness out there alone, we had been very 
much afraid. So at once we rushed towards her, 
but when we got near her, there to our horror, 
we saw the great two-legged creature that had 
been patting her the day before. Our first 
thought was to at once turn and hide away again 
in the dark woods. But our mother called us so 
kindly to come to her, and then we were so cold 
and hungry, that we hardly knew what to do. 

Vainly we whined and begged our mother to 
come with us, but she would not, and so trem- 
bling and shivering with fear, and cold, we went 
slowly to the place where he stood. 

"We discovered then why it was she had not 
come to us. One end of a strap was tied around 
her neck, and the other end was in the hand of 
the tall two-legged creature, whom we after- 
wards found was called her master. 

We were very indignant when we first found 


Returning to the Master 31 

out that our mother was thus tied with a strap, 
but more surprised when we observed that she 
did not seem to mind it, and was only anxious 
that we should come to her. 

We found this very hard to do, as we were so 
fearful of that tall creature that held her. How- 
ever, our mother’s soothing calls prevailed, and 
at length we reached her. 

The warm breakfast which she gave us was 
very welcome. We kept our eyes as well as we 
could on the big creature that held our mother. 
He kept talking to her, and it was certain that 
she was pleased with what he said. Our surprise 
was great when we found out that he was saying 
nice things to her about us. 

It might have gone on all right, if he had not 
done what he did. And it was what I could not 
then stand. He actually stooped down, and put- 
ting his hand under me, he tried to lift me off the 
ground. 

Terrified and frantic at this, I suddenly turned 
round, and sunk my sharp little teeth into one of 
his fingers. 

Maddened and angrjr at this, he suddenly 
threw me down on the ground with such force, 
that he nearly knocked the breath out of 
me. 

My mother was so indignant at his conduct, 
that she sprang up from the ground and, pulling 


32 


Hector, My Dog 

the strap out of his hand, she called us around 
her, and marched off with us into the woods. 

But it was of no use. The bitter cold weather 
had come, and the ice and snow were every- 
where. So our mother went back to those wig- 
wams, and made her heace with her master, and 
then little two-legged creatures called boys came 
and threw their lassos over our heads, and in 
spite of our howlings and yelpings, dragged us 
away to their homes. 

They fed us well, and gave us a warm place in 
which to sleep, and were much kinder to us than 
we had any reason to expect. 

At first we were inclined to bite them when 
they attempted to handle us, but they put thick 
leather gloves on their hands and so our bites did 
them no harm, yet every time we tried to bite 
them we were cruelly whipped. 

So we gave up our wild ways, as we found it 
was best, and in a short time we took our places, 
and were treated as were the other young dogs 
that were born in the village. 

Oh, dear, how cold it was! and how we suf- 
fered, especially when we were thrown out of the 
wigwam into the snow by some angry Indian, 
because we put our noses in the fish-pot, or began 
chewing some meat off from a haunch of venison 
that was left behind us in the wigwam. 

It often seemed as though we should freeze to 


Returning to the Master 33 

death, as there we were driven out in the bitter 
cold, and tumbled in the snow that was deep 
enough to smother us. It was so cold that the 
breath from our noses turned white and then 
froze in icy particles on our little whiskers. Our 
poor naked feet were so cold that we could do 
nothing but cry and yelp in our misery. 

It was fortunate for us that the anger of the 
Indians soon passed away. So as quickly as pos- 
sible we endeavored to struggle out of the snow- 
drift into which they had pitched us, and man- 
aged to crawl back into the wigwam under the 
deerskin door. 

The Indian women would pity us, and so they 
would let us come near the fire, and even curl 
down on the corners of their warm blankets. 
They would even feed us out of that same fish- 
pot into which not long before we had tried to 
put our little noses, and for doing which, we had 
not long before been cruelly punished and thrown 
out into the snow. 

This sudden change from cruelty to kindness 
on their part was to me a mystery, and I began 
to find out that it takes a lot of dog-sense to un- 
derstand some people. 


Ill 


GOING TO SCHOOL 

F ROM this time on I saw but little of my 
mother. For days and days she, with 
some other dogs, would be absent. 

Then when she did return, she was so tired that 
she could not romp, or play with us as she had so 
often done when we were free and happy in the 
woods. 

What was the matter at first I could not tell. 
But as the months passed on, and I began to get 
big and strong, I found out to my sorrow. 

In the wigwam with me were several boys who 
were fond of me and my brothers. They petted 
us a great deal, and we had many jolly romps to- 
gether, not only in the wigwam, but also outside 
where the snow was well packed down, and the 
bright sun was shining. It was very cold in 
spite of the sunshine, and so the harder we played 
and ran around, the better we felt. 

We puppies, or young dogs as we were now 
called, were very sorry when these boys had to 
stop playing with us, and start off to what they 
called going to school. 

We wanted to follow them, but they ordered 
us back. 


34 


35 


Going to School 

One day some of the other dogs and myself 
said we would go, and so we followed on the 
trail. 

Our young masters shouted to us to go back, 
but we would not obey. However, being afraid 
of punishment, we dropped some way behind. 
After going some distance, we were surprised to 
see them going into a large wigwam, which we 
afterwards learned was called a schoolhouse. 

We ought to have turned around and run home 
like good dogs, but we were young and foolish, 
and so we thought we would go on far enough to 
see our young masters in that schoolhouse, and if 
possible, find out what they were there doing. 

So on and on we went, until we got quite near 
that house, when suddenly there jumped up the 
biggest dog I ever saw. With a roar that half 
frightened the lives out of us, he came dashing 
towards us. 

My ! but we did turn quickly, and with our lit- 
tle tails tucked between our hind legs, we made 
the quickest run of our lives. Nor did we stop, 
or even dare to look around, until we were safe 
in our own wigwam. 

We learned afterwards that the name of that 
great dog was Jack, and that he was only doing 
what he had been told to do, and which was to 
keep all the Indian dogs away from the school* 
house while the teacher and children were there 


36 Hector, My Dog 

at their studies. That he did his work well and 
thoroughly, there was no denying. He gave me 
and the other young dogs such a fright that we 
never had any desire to go near that schoolhouse 
again. Indeed, I am sure I never did. And so 
having had no schooling, that may account for 
the many foolish things I have said, and may yet 
say, and also be the reason why so many blunders 
have been made in my life. 

I may here mention, that when some time after 
this I became better acquainted with Jack, I 
found him to be, not the fearful monster I had 
imagined, but as wise and gentle, as he was large 
and strong. 

But I never forgot the fright of my young life, 
which he gave me that day on the trail that led 
from the schoolhouse. 

Jack was, however, an aristocratic dog, and, 
with Cuffy his mate, kept somewhat aloof from 
all the other dogs, but as I was part mastiff as 
well as Esquimaux, he was always on speaking 
terms with me after I had been purchased by his 
master. 

There was this also to be said in his favor, that 
while he could easily have thrashed any half 
dozen of us, he was never tyrannical, and in after 
years we more than once tested his intelligence 
and wonderful staying power, when in traveling 
we were caught in the terrible blizzards. Then 


37 


Going to School 

when the hearts and courage of the rest of us 
failed, Jack took the lead of our sleds, which 
were all fastened together for safety, and be the 
distance fifty, sixty, or as it was on one occasion, 
even seventy miles, Jack, without faltering or 
hesitancy, guided us to our desired destination. 

Thus, while he kept us at a distance, and al- 
lowed no intimacies, we all admired him, and, 
without question, admitted his supremacy. 

When the boys came home from school in the 
evening of that day on which Jack had given us 
such a fright, they dragged us out from among 
the robes and blankets in the wigwam, where we 
had remained hid on account of our great fright. 

It seems that from the windows of the school- 
house, they had seen the whole affair, and know- 
ing that Jack would not kill, or even hurt us, 
they had thought it was great fun. We, how- 
ever, did not think so, and thus we were very 
loth to go out with them for the romp which they 
wanted to have with us, for fear Jack might be 
around. However, as everybody who heard their 
story of our great fright laughed about it, we 
gradually got over our fears, but we could not 
for some time help keeping our eyes from wan- 
dering along the trail that led to the school- 
house. 

While playing with the boys we heard the 
merry jingling sounds of sleigh-bells, which came 


38 Hector, My Dog 

from a distant forest trail. The boys instantly 
dashed off in that direction, and as it was from a 
trail in the opposite direction from that one which 
led to the schoolhouse, we dogs quickly followed 
them. 

We had not to run very far ere we met some 
men with dog-sleds coming rapidly towards us. 
Each sled was dragged by four dogs harnessed 
up one ahead of the other. Among them, pull- 
ing and panting, we discovered that one was our 
mother ! 

She quickly recognized us as the sleds rapidly 
flew by, but all she could do was to give us a 
cheery bark and a wag of her tail. 

Our young masters, the boys, with shouts of 
welcome had greeted their friends, the Indian 
drivers, and then, as the sleds, without stopping, 
sped on, they quickly followed, and we dogs were 
not far behind. 

For the first time we here saw the loaded dog- 
trains, and there came to me some vague idea of 
what was meant by dog-traveling. Yet there 
had not dawned upon me any thought of the 
hardships and sufferings that must of necessity 
be associated with such work. In happy igno- 
rance of coming ills, we more enjoy the present 
bliss. 

Our mother, and the other dogs, were soon un- 
harnessed and fed. We were sorry to see that on 


Going to School 39 

some of these sleigh-dogs there were ugly wounds, 
while others were lame and bruised. 

That night our mother let us cuddle down be- 
side her, although she had long since ceased to 
nurse us. We tried to get her to tell us some- 
thing about what she had been doing, as, har- 
nessed up with other dogs, she had been away 
from us for days. But she only nestled us up 
closer to her warm body, and throwing her great 
furry tail over us, she said : 

“ Wait, my little ones. Have a good time while 
you can. There is no use wearing your collar be- 
fore it is put on.” 

Thus we romped and played and had a good 
time all through our puppy days, except for the 
bitter cold. 

Our master saw we were likely to make fine 
large dogs and thus be valuable to him, and so 
although we often got cuffed and thrashed for 
doing stupid things, such as eating our master’s 
food instead of our own, yet he fed us well on 
plenty of good fish, and sometimes he gave us a 
good dinner of venison, when he had been fortu- 
nate in killing a reindeer. 

Hot having had any schooling, as we have 
already mentioned, we were ignorant of many 
things, and so our education went on very slowly. 
For example, we young dogs could not see what 
harm there was in our having a nice supper of 


40 


Hector, My Dog 

fish, and eating up some moccasins which were 
made of dry smoked leather. They were not 
half as good as the fish. But my ! we did get a 
hiding for doing it. 

Then one evening when our master came 
into the wigwam, he pulled off and hung up to 
dry, his moose-skin shirt. He had been away 
hunting, and had just returned with his dog-sled 
loaded with moose-meat. Our mother, who had 
been one of the dogs that had dragged home that 
heavy load of meat, told us, as she snuggled us 
down beside her, that evening after she had been 
fed, that she had overheard the master say that 
on the next day he was going to give us young 
dogs a lot of that fine venison to eat. 

We were so delighted we could neither sleep 
nor keep still, and so our tired mother was not 
sorry when we left her to rest in peace. In our 
prowling around we came across our master’s 
moose-skin coat, and whether or not, it was the 
joyful prospect of the famous dinner of moose- 
meat we were to receive the next day, we can 
hardly tell, but anyway we quietly pulled down 
and ate up about a half of that nasty old smoked 
skin shirt. Then we were discovered, and there 
was a row. Our master was so angry and furi- 
ous when he found out what we had done, that 
he so thrashed us, that we thought all the bones 
in our bodies were broken. Then we were 


/ 


4i 


Going to School 

thrown out into the snow, and there we cried 
and yelped during the remainder of the cold 
night. 

Thus we found that there was no use in trying 
to please some people, even by taking the second 
best cut. 

By slow degrees we were thus getting our edu- 
cation, even if Jack did chase us away from the 
schoolhouse. But we were getting on. 

We learned that it was bad form to plunge our 
noses into the kettle as soon as it was taken off 
the fire. Firstly, because we were generally so 
scalded that we had to rush out howling, and 
bury our scalded noses in the snow. Secondly, 
we were taught a lesson which I am sorry to say 
we were slow to learn, and that was, that we 
were only dogs, and consequently must wait until 
our masters were first served. 

Happy were we when we found our right place, 
and were there content to stay. 

Even trying to be a blessing to our race was 
not always very successful. For example, when 
we had seen how cruel some of the dog-drivers 
were to the dogs, by whipping them so severely, 
we young dogs that were still allowed at times to 
sleep in the wigwams, would watch for our chance, 
and when we found out where these cruel drivers 
had carelessly thrown their whips, we noiselessly 
set to work, and with our sharp teeth cut these 


42 


Hector, My Dog 

great whips to pieces, and ate up as much of 
them as we could. 

But even this kindly act, which had caused us 
a lot of trouble and considerable inward pain (for 
the stuff was most indigestible) only resulted in 
more thrashings for us, and new and heavier 
whips for the sleigh-dogs. 

Thus in our school of experience, dull as we 
were, we found it best not to destroy the smaller 
whips, for, as sure as we did, the masters would 
secure bigger ones. 

Thus, while everybody thought we were hav- 
ing a good time — and I suppose we were — we 
were rapidly being kicked and cuffed and 
thrashed into shape, and our master was de- 
lighted when he saw how we were growing into 
such fine, large, handsome dogs. For what pur- 
pose, we were soon to know. 

Dogs are generally broken into work when 
about nine months old, that is, if it is in the 
winter time, with sufficient snow upon the ground 
for the sleds. 

This we learned in our wigwam, as there we 
listened to the talk of our master with other 
Indians. We had become so accustomed to their 
voices, that although but slowly learning, we 
were able to understand a great deal that they 
said : much more I think than they gave us 
credit for, or I am sure they would not have said 


Going to School 43 

before us many things which they did. Indeed 
I think we really might have picked up more in- 
formation than we did, if we had always been 
attentive. But with sleepy indifference, we had 
generally listened as they talked away on various 
subjects, sometimes getting an idea of what the 
talk was all about, but generally it was beyond 
the powers of our young puppy minds to under- 
stand. 

We had however understood with great pleas- 
ure, and our wise old mother had helped us, that 
they had said that it was a good winter, with 
plenty of fish and game, so that nobody need 
be hungry. Indeed, our dear old mother in talk- 
ing to us about it, had explained that when there 
was plenty of food for the masters, it meant good 
times for the dogs. So we slept and ate and 
romped and played. 

Then there came a time however when we could 
not help being interested. 

“ They are surely nine months old ! ” 

Thus said one wise old Indian, as taking his 
calumet out of his mouth, he sat down near us on 
a deerskin where we were squatted lazily look- 
ing into the fire. 

These words were addressed to our master, 
who was even then busily engaged in counting 
back the months, or moons, as he called them, on 
his fingers. 


44 


Hector, My Dog 

“ No,” he said, “ that would take them back to 
Wa-wa tipisgow pesim, the egg-moon, and that 
is too far. They could not have been born that 
early. We will call them ayan-anao tipisgow 
pesim, that is, eight moons old. That will suit 
me very well, and it will give them one moon 
more in which to grow stronger and leave me 
sufficient time in which to get everything ready 
for their being thoroughly broken in.” 

Then they petted us, and felt our necks and 
the muscles of our legs, and looked into our 
mouths, and seemed much pleased, and said to 
each other in the Indian language : “ Metoone 

menousin Atimosisuk,” which means “ very fine 
young dogs.” 

To those wise people who can understand these 
things, it may not have appeared singular or un- 
expected, but to me, only a young dog, even 
before they were through with their talking 
about us, some strange forebodings that I could 
not get rid of, came to me that in spite of 
their pettings and fine words, I felt that their 
talking together about us meant more than mere 
compliments. 

So I have found that when friends come 
around and are profuse in their flatteries, it is 
well if we cannot at first read between the 
lines, at least to see what are their next move- 
ments. 


IV 


UNCONQUERED BY CRUELTY 

T HE very next day there came into the 
wigwam a fine old Indian, with a soft, 
low, gentle voice. The people called 
him Memotas. 

We young doggies knew nothing about him 
then, but we found out afterwards that he was the 
most famous maker of dog-harness in the village. 

In his quiet gentle way he talked to the people 
in our wigwam, and then he made friends with 
us dogs, and we could not help but like him. 
Indeed, we found out that everybody liked him, 
and even the surliest dogs would not growl when 
Memotas passed by. 

Yet he came to help on our enslavement, but 
we knew it not. So we let him measure us 
around our necks for our collars, and around our 
bodies for the harness bands. These harness he 
would make out of moose-skin, and he would 
make them so strong that struggle as we would, 
we could not break them or twist out of them. 

So we learned that the soft low voice does not 
destroy the skilled workman’s hand. 

Patting us on our heads, and flattering us by 
45 


46 Hector, My Dog 

saying what splendid dogs we had grown to be, 
Memotas left our wigwam, and we did not see 
him again for some days. 

When he did come again, we saw that he had 
in his hands something that looked very much 
like the harness that we had seen worn by our 
mother and the other dogs. But as they had no 
bells upon them, and Memotas had quickly 
thrown them down behind him in the wigwam, 
we soon forgot all about them, and were speedily 
interested in his gentle voice and charmed by his 
caresses and flatteries. 

After a while he carelessly picked up one of 
the harness, for there really was a complete set 
of them, and, playing with me with it for a time, 
before I really knew what he was doing, he skil- 
fully slipped the collar over my head, and placing 
the harness on my back, he securely fastened the 
band under me. 

Seeing that it was all right, he as quickly took 
it off, and so flattered me, that my brothers 
seemed envious of the fuss made over me, and so 
crowded themselves forward, that Memotas had 
no trouble in fitting the harness of each one of 
them. 

Thus blinded by flattery they, like myself, 
were soon enslaved. 

Some days after, our master brought home 
some little bells, which he fastened on to the 


Unconquered by Cruelty 47 

underside of the collars of the new harness, and 
we dogs heard him say to some of the others in 
the wigwam : 

“In a few days we will begin the work of 
breaking them in.” 

“ Breaking them in ! ” Years have passed since 
I first, there in the wigwam, heard those horrid 
words, and yet I cannot even now think of them 
without a shiver of pain. Why do men not 
handle us dogs kindly ? They who are our mas- 
ters little know the great love that there is in 
our hearts towards them and how anxious we 
are to please them. Our highest bliss is to have 
their smile and kindly words, and to obey them 
and carry out their wishes, our delight. 

For our masters, we dogs are ever eager to 
find out their desires, and in our anxieties to 
carry them out, we render a willing service that 
can be said of no other living creatures in any- 
thing like the same degree. 

All that we ask is that kindness and patience 
should go with our lessons ; for after all we are 
only dogs, and are at the least, dull scholars, and 
slow to comprehend, especially when the lan- 
guage is not that of love. 

“ Breaking them in ! ” 

This which I have now to describe is the 
hardest part of my autobiography. I only here 
record it, that some who may read it, may not 


48 Hector, My Dog 

adopt this plan when dealing with a young dog, 
that he would have as his companion and friend. 

Why my Indian master, who himself was not 
cruel, should have hired those brutal half-breed 
dog-drivers to break us in in the manner they 
did, I have never been able to understand. 

They were two rough-looking large men. 
They began their cruel work by roughly seizing 
us young dogs, without one kindly word, and 
forcing the collars of our new harness over our 
heads. Then they fastened, as tightly as possible, 
the strong moose-skin bands around our bodies. 
They then jerked us around in a line, and fast- 
ened us together in tandem-style. The traces 
of the last dog in the line they then took and 
attached to a heavy wood sled. Old Black, a 
steady old leader-dog, was then harnessed and 
fastened in the front of our train. The drivers 
then shouted : “ Marche ! Marche ! ” to us, and 
were really foolish enough to think that after 
such treatment we would move off like old dogs. 
But we did nothing of the kind. Poor old Black 
tried to do his duty, but what could one dog do 
against four stubborn dogs, that felt as insulted 
and indignant as we did. 

“ Marche ! Marche ! ” they shouted, and while 
Black tried vainly to advance, we four stubborn 
dogs just planted out our fore legs as stiff as 
pokers, and there we stayed. 


Unconquered by Cruelty 49 

The cruel whips of our drivers, who were now 
furious at us, hissed out, and as they were made 
of buckskin loaded with shot, they cut into our 
tender ears, and raised great welts along our 
sides. 

With every report of those heavy whips, which 
in hands altogether too accustomed to their 
use, rang out, like pistol shots, there was still 
shouted : 

“ Marche ! Marche ! Majestimuk ! ” (their 
word for bad dogs). 

In our veins was the blood of the English 
mastiff as well as that of the Esquimaux, and so 
under their cruel blows we just laid down in the 
snow and said by our actions : 

“ As you have started out in this rough way 
to conquer us, we will put up a stubborn fight 
ere we yield.” 

The two drivers, who had completely lost 
their tempers, and were furious that their 
whippings had so failed to get us to move, then 
began to cruelly kick us. 

Our master, who was really not cruel, as I 
have said, but only ignorant of dog-nature, now 
interfered, and none too soon ; for one of the 
brutal drivers in kicking the dog next to Black, 
so enraged him that he suddenly sprang at him 
and gave him such a bite in the leg, that he did 
but little dog-driving for many days after. 


50 Hector, My Dog 

Thus utterly failed, for that day at least, the 
efforts of those men to break us in. 

As we w T ere being unharnessed, our master 
came to us and chided with us for being such 
stubborn, obstinate dogs. He seemed very sorry 
when he saw how the cruel whips had cut our 
ears, which were now so limp and bloody. 

He tried to chide us, and said : 

“ I am sorry for you, but you have to be 
broken in, and the sooner you surrender the 
better it will be for you.” 

As he seemed to thus talk to us, both by his 
looks and actions, I think I understood about all 
he said, and oh ! how I did wish that I could 
tell him that if he would only have us treated 
kindly and with patience, we would soon under- 
stand and surrender, and then would ever do our 
very best for him. 

But alas! I was only a dog with but a few 
“ bow-wows ” to utter, and so I could not tell 
him what was in my heart, and thus he let the 
cruel driver, who had not been bitten, try all of 
his cruel ways, without one single kindly word, 
to break us in. 

Finding that he could not succeed in breaking 
us in, when thus harnessed all together, the driver, 
who had secured another half-breed to help him, 
now tried to see what they could do with us 
separately. So harnessing us up, one by one, 


Unconquered by Cruelty 51 

they placed three powerful dogs ahead of us in 
the train, and one behind to keep us in line. 

By this plan, the three strong dogs ahead of 
us could take us simply off our feet, and pull us 
along on the trail, or through the snow. 

So when we found ourselves thus powerless to 
resist, we just sullenly lay down and let those 
dogs drag us along. At times they pulled us 
over rough places, where we were badly hurt, 
but we took our bruises with the same stubborn 
obstinacy that we had received the stinging 
blows. 

But I will not prolong the agony by the full 
recital of those sad days. Suffice to say, that 
one after another of my brothers gave in. I 
never did. 

As a last resort, one day they fastened me to 
a small sled, and then with a team of four strong 
dogs in front of me, they dragged me and the 
sled a couple of miles or so, along a forest trail, 
and there they left me still harnessed and fastened 
by my traces, to that little sled. 

As they left me, one of them said : 

“ Well, he will have to draw home that little 
sled, or stay here and starve.” 

Did I ! Not a bit of it ! 

I just waited until dogs and men were out of 
sight, and then I turned round, and with my 
sharp teeth, I cut off the moose-skin leather 


52 Hector, My Dog 

traces, and eating them up (for they had been 
cruelly starving me for some days), I deliberately 
walked home. 

My master, who had been informed by the cruel 
men of what they had done, saw me coming home, 
and when he noticed what I had done, he just 
laughed and laughed. 

Why he did so, of course I do not know, but 
perhaps it was because those boastful men had 
been outwitted, and he thought I was a clever dog. 

Then he laughed and laughed again. 

As I listened to his cheery laugh, O how I did 
wish that I could just say to him : 

“ Master, if with that cheery laugh in your ac- 
tions, you will just harness me up yourself, I will 
do anything for you that a dog can do.” 

But, alas, he understood not dog-nature, and 
there I could not make him see that even a laugh 
and a kindly word would go so much further than 
cruelty. 

But a change in my life was at hand. 

A change so sudden, so sharp, so abrupt, that 
to this day it seems beyond my thought or 
powers of explanation. 

While my master was watching me eat the 
second of the two fish which he himself brought 
out to me, I was half amused, sore and hungry 
as I was, to notice that he still at times burst out 
into laughter. 


Unconquered by Cruelty 53 

While standing there, he was joined by one of 
the pale faced race, a gentleman who had on a 
large fur coat, for the day was very cold. 

This white man was accompanied by two 
large dogs, one of them, to my surprise and 
even alarm, I recognized as Jack, the great dog 
that had so fiercely chased me and the other 
young dogs from the front of the schoolhouse. 

I soon found out however that my fears of him 
were groundless, for he did not take the slightest 
notice of me, but with Cuffy his companion, he 
remained close to the side of his master, whom I 
heard my master call Ayumeaookemou. 

The two men cordially shook hands with each 
other, and then after a few words had passed be- 
tween them, my master as far as I could make 
out, told Ayumeaookemou all about me. 

At first the strange gentleman looked sad, as 
my master told him how stubborn I had been, 
and how severely the drivers had whipped me in 
their fruitless efforts to break me in. 

But when he was told of how I had cut my 
traces and came home without the sled, they 
both laughed very heartily at it, and thought it 
was very clever. 

Then the stranger came close to me, and when 
he saw how swollen and wounded were my ears, 
and noticed the great welts on my sides, he was 
very indignant, and said : 


54 


Hector, My Dog 

“ What a shame to have such a fine young dog 
so cruelly treated. When will people learn that 
dogs can be managed far better by gentleness and 
kindness, than by such brutality ? ” 

Then, turning to my master, he said : 

“ What do you want for that dog ? ” 

“ Thirty skins, ” replied my master. 

“ It is a bargain ! ” said the gentleman. “ Bring 
him over to the mission at once, and you shall 
have your pay.” 

Thus did I pass into the possession of my pres- 
ent master. 

Patting me gently on my head, which he saw 
was sore from the cruel blows, he said : 

“Well, Hector, if we can understand each 
other, as I think we can, those cruel days are all 
over, and better times are before you.” 

Why he then and there called me Hector I 
never found out. 

Then, as he continued to pet me and say kindly 
words, and call me his dog, somehow or other, 
both Jack and Cuffy seemed to understand that 
as their beloved master was thus taking so much 
notice of me, they must do likewise ; and so in 
their dignified way, they came and introduced 
themselves and looked me over. But it w T as very 
evident that they were very much shocked at the 
state of my ears. 

For a time I was dazed, and troubled with 


Unconquered by Cruelty 55 

strange fears. Then as it dawned upon my dog- 
sense that I had been sold and bought, I could 
only see my new master. And as I looked into 
his face and listened to his cheery words, and 
felt the touch of his gentle hand upon my sore 
head, I felt by some innate instinct or impression 
within me, which I, as a young, inexperienced 
dog, could not explain, that I had met my truest 
friend. And during the long years in which he 
has honored me with his friendship, and it has 
been my joy to serve him, I have never changed 
my mind. 

That same evening, my new master, after see- 
ing that my ears and the other wounds were 
washed and oiled, introduced me to his other dogs 
in his kennels. Then, in their company began, 
apart from my young puppy days, the happiest 
period of my life ; and it has continued to this 
day. 

As I was first introduced among the dogs in 
the kennels, my wounds and welts so touched 
them, that if any of them had had any disposi- 
tion for a bit of roughness with a newcomer, it 
was never displayed. 

Even Koona, the most incorrigible mischief and 
inveterate tease, came, and after investigating 
me most thoroughly, he, in dog fashion, sat down 
beside me, and began a howling so doleful and 
contagious, that all the other dogs that had any 


56 Hector, My Dog 

Esquimaux blood in their veins, joined in it with 
such dead earnestness, that our good master had 
to come out and positively forbid any encore. 

I found out afterwards that these doleful re- 
frains, so enjoyed by Esquimaux dogs, had been 
positively prohibited at the mission, but Koona, 
the rascal whose joy was in breaking rules, when 
possible, saw in my battered condition a subject 
so suggestive, that he could not resist the tempta- 
tion to break the rules, and resurrect the mourn- 
ful refrains. 

Rover, the intelligent dog-doctor, had also been 
an early sympathizer. He had, however, crit- 
ically observed how, by the master’s orders, my 
wounds had been so carefully washed and then 
oiled, that at present at least, his services were 
not required. 

But as far as it was possible for him to put it, 
his kindly eyes and actions said to me : 

“ Do not hesitate to avail yourself of my serv- 
ices. Any assistance that I can render you will 
be cheerfully given. For my testimonials, ask 
any dog in the yard.” 

And grandly did old Rover’s tongue aid my 
rapid recovery. 


Y 


NEW AND HAPPY LIFE 


A NEW life now opened before me. 

Here were comfortable kennels, where 
in plenty of dry hay, brought from dis- 
tant beaver meadows, we dogs could sleep in 
peace, shielded from the blizzard storms. 

Yery different and happier were these sur- 
roundings from those in which my poor mother 
and her companion dogs were left to shift for 
themselves, when their heavy day’s work was 
done. 

Instead of warm kennels like these, in which to 
sleep, they, when they had eaten their supper of 
fish, were carelessly left to find what shelter they 
could, from the cold blasts or blinding storms. 

Often they were glad to get and be thankful 
for the slight protection afforded by the lea side 
of a fallen log, or a stump of a tree. Their lot 
indeed was a hard one. 

Young as I was, when removed from those 
hardships, yet I and my young brothers had 
enough of them to still almost make me shiver, 
as I think of them. 

We often were thrown out of the wigwam, 
57 


58 Hector, My Dog 

and there, with no hut or shed into which we 
could crawl, had to cuddle down in the snow, 
exposed to many a gale. 

Many times we cried ourselves to sleep, and 
even then could not keep from shivering. The 
snow sometimes fell upon us, nearly burying us. 
All we could do was just to endure and suffer. 

But why should it be so ? 

Our Indian masters, with their axes, could 
easily have cut down a few trees, and in a short 
time have made a little house for us in which, 
huddled together, safe from the winds and 
blizzards, we would have been happy and com- 
fortable. 

Here, however, in the kennels, I found every- 
thing so different, and, as was quite natural even 
for a dog, I wanted to know what was the reason 
why all dogs were not so carefully looked after 
as we were. As I talked over the matter with 
the other dogs, I was pleased to learn that 
there were some Indians who, seeing what our 
master was doing for his dogs, were following 
his example. 

I had a great deal to learn in my new sur- 
roundings, and many of these things sur- 
prised me. 

One of the first and most suggestive things 
which I learned, was that all of the dogs that 
were well and strong, had their allotted share of 


New and Happy Life 59 

work to do. There was not an idle dog in the 
whole pack, except the young growing ones, and 
a couple of old fellows, whom our kind master 
called his pensioners. 

I was not long in finding out what the work 
was which the different dogs had to do. 

Some were employed in hauling large quan- 
tities of wood from the distant forests for the 
fires in the house, the church, and the school. 

As I was allowed any amount of freedom, I 
would frequently, with other young dogs, ac- 
company the sleds as they went for their heavy 
loads. This trail was only about a couple of 
miles long. It was made as straight as possible, 
direct from the mission to the spot where the 
Indian woodmen were cutting the small trees up 
in the proper lengths to be tied on the sleds. 
These small logs and poles were from twelve to 
twenty feet long. 

The small trees had been cut down the previous 
year, and so the wood when hauled home by the 
dogs, was quite light and dry. 

These dogs were so clever, and enjoyed their 
work so well, that after the woodmen had gone 
with them a few times, they did not require the 
drivers to accompany them, but when the sleds 
were loaded, they would drag them home, and 
then as soon as somebody, who would be on 
hand, would unload their sled and turn them 


6o 


Hector, My Dog 

around in the trail, they would hurry back alone, 
for another load. 

I was always delighted when allowed to 
accompany the dogs when they were taken up 
the river, to some far away place, for a load of 
hay for the cows. 

In order that they might be able to bring home 
a large load of hay, three sleds would be fastened 
side by side. As the sleds were nearly twelve 
feet long, the three of them made quite a large 
space. 

On these three sleds thus arranged, the hay, 
which had been cut and dried the previous sum- 
mer, and here piled up in stacks, was now care- 
fully packed. 

The three trains of dogs that were here 
arranged side by side thought it great fun to 
thus travel. The only dog that disliked this 
arrangement was surly old Yoyageur. He had so 
long been accustomed to be at the front, that he 
could not understand this idea of having two 
other leader dogs side by side with him. So he 
was inclined to be quarrelsome, and get into a 
row, especially with the dog that traveled on his 
blind side, as he had only one eye. 

When I learned from the other dogs, that all 
this hay was for some large animals called cows, 
my curiosity was aroused, and of course I was anx- 
ious to see them. 


6i 


New and Happy Life 

Kennedy had charge of them, and as a general 
thing, he would not allow any of the dogs to 
prowl around the stables where he kept them. 

As he was a kind-hearted man, I one day got 
him persuaded to leave the stable door open for 
a while, and let me have a look at them. They 
seemed such great big creatures, that at first I was 
half inclined to be afraid of them. I had never 
seen such great big animals, except perhaps two or 
three times in the wood, before my mother, with 
the other dogs, brought my brother puppies and 
me home to her master’s wigwam. 

I forgot all about it when I was telling about 
my earliest days, but now that the sight of the 
cows has brought it up, I will here describe what 
we saw, and what happened. 

It was one day when my little brothers and 
myself were playing around our goose-nest home. 
Then there came quite near us some great big 
creatures with great flat horns. 

When we saw them we were very much 
alarmed, and hurried back into our nest. We 
were so frightened by such enormous creatures, 
that we yelped and howled as loud as we 
could. 

As soon as our mother came near, she saw 
what it was that was frightening us. 

Instead of being frightened also, our brave 
mother at once began calling the other dogs, and 


62 


Hector, My Dog 

then away they rushed after these great animals 
that were called moose. 

So now, as I looked at these great cows, I 
thought of the moose. But the cows looked very 
much nicer. Their eyes were gentle looking 
and not like those of an old moose bull that 
came roaring through the woods, and dashed by 
quite close to our nest, and then on and away to a 
place where he heard another one equally angry, 
calling him to battle. 

We saw the wicked eyes as he passed by so 
close to us. Then soon after we heard their bel- 
lo wings as they fought with each other. 

When our mother and the other dogs that had 
been away down the river looking in the shal- 
lows for jack fish, returned, we told them all 
about these moose, and away they ran to the 
place where we told them we had seen them 
fighting. 

There they found one dead moose, but the 
other one had gone away. 

So we all had moose-meat for several days. 

But I have wandered from the stable and the 
cows. You must remember that I am only a dog, 
however. 

After Kennedy had given the cows some hay 
and water, before he shut the stable door he said, 
very seriously to me, 

“Now, Hector, you must never bark at, or in 


New and Happy Life 63 

any way annoy the cows, or even go very near 
them. You might get into trouble. They are 
very valuable creatures, and much prized by our 
master and mistress. They give them the milk 
that is used by themselves and the little children. 
At times quantities of it are sent out to the wig- 
wams of the Indians, where there are sick people, 
especially to the little children.” 

Then Kennedy again warned me not to go near 
the cows, if the stable door should happen to be 
open, and he not around. Of course I very ear- 
nestly promised to obey his orders. 

But one day, when I was loitering around with 
nothing to do, I thought I would go and have a 
look at the cows. 

The door of the stable was open, which I 
thought was very fortunate for me. So I had no 
difficulty in seeing them very well. 

No harm would have been done, if I had just 
looked at them from the door. But I forgot all 
of my promise to Kennedy, and so I thought I 
would go a little nearer. This I did, and then I 
went nearer still, until I was close enough 
to touch with my nose, one of the hind legs of 
one of the cows. 

What happened then, I hardly knew. But 
some of the other dogs who had been near enough 
to see what did occur, so laughed and grinned in 
dog-fashion, that they could hardly describe what 


64 Hector, My Dog 

they had seen. But anyway they said that 
when that cow kicked me, I flew out of that door 
much faster than I went in. 

I have never gone near a cow’s hind feet since 
that day. 

But I have wandered far away from the ques- 
tions I had asked about the different kinds of 
work in which my master’s dogs were employed. 

I have already referred to those that drew 
home the wood and the hay. 

One night, as we lay snuggled up in the hay, 
after we had had our nice supper of white fish, a 
very friendly dog that was near me, told me about 
the way in which these fine fish on which our 
master fed us, were obtained and brought home. 

He said that thousands of them were caught 
in nets in the early winter, and as they quickly 
froze, they were hung up on high stages above 
the reach of the prowling gray wolves, and other 
savage animals. 

These fisheries, as they are called, are about 
twenty miles away, and so it was the work of 
several trains of the dogs, under the guidance of 
their drivers, to drag home great loads of these 
fish, as they were needed. This, he told me, was 
not unpleasant work, as the route was on the 
frozen lake and river, and so each sled often 
brought home a load of a thousand weight of 
fish. 


New and Happy Life 65 

The most important work which our master’s 
dogs had to do was yet to be told me. Indeed, 
it was some time before, in my stupidity, I was 
able to get any correct idea of it. And, indeed, 
it was not until long after this, when I was per- 
mitted to be one of the actors in this most im- 
portant work in which we dogs were ever em- 
ployed, that I realized what it meant. 

Some days after I had been so very happily in- 
troduced among these splendid dogs, I noticed 
that there was a good deal of earnest though 
quiet excitement among them, about some long 
journey that was to be made. 

As abundance of wood and fish and hay had 
been dragged home nearly all the heavy work 
had ceased. Some short trips were as usual oc- 
casionally made, as when the master in his cariole, 
sometimes alone, and often with the family, went 
over to the trading post, to visit the gentlemen 
and their families, there residing. 

Then frequently our loved mistress would have 
her own cariole, with her splendid train of dogs, 
prepared for her, and then away she would be 
driven by Kennedy to various Indian wigwams, 
some, many miles away, to visit the sick people 
and to carry food or medicine or warm clothing 
to the needy ones. Thus, with the exception of 
these and other short trips, the work for the dogs 
almost entirely ceased. 


66 


Hector, My Dog 

What seemed about the strangest thing about 
it, was the fact that now that the work was so 
light, the supply of food for the dogs was not cut 
down, as it had always been among the Indians, 
but it was, if possible, increased. 

Even two meals a day were sometimes now 
served out, and we were encouraged to eat all we 
could. 

Sometimes the master would come with Martin 
or Tom Grieve or others of his favorite dog-driv- 
ers, and they would call all the dogs around them, 
young and old, and would have many a jolly romp 
and play. 

I was very much pleased when they would look 
at me kindly, and say : 

“ See how the noble fellow is improving ! ” 

“ His ears are nearly healed, and the welts on 
his sides are gone. He will yet make a splendid 
sleigh-dog, but we will let him have plenty of 
time to grow stronger, and to forget how shame- 
fully he was treated.” 

Little by little, I learned that the master, with 
four Indians, one of whom was called the guide, 
with sixteen of the best dogs, four to each sled, 
was soon to start on a long journey through the 
woods and over great frozen lakes, to visit some 
bands of Indians, who were not only cruel to their 
dogs, but also to their old people, and even to 
their wives and girls. 


New and Happy Life 67 

When in my ignorance, I asked : “Has any good 
ever come to such cruel, wicked people, as the re- 
sult of such long and dangerous journeys in the 
bitter cold ? ” the listening old dogs grinned even 
unto laughter, and all of them seemed to desire 
to be the first to answer me. 

“ Yes, indeed, and because many have listened 
to what good white men, who have undertaken 
these long journeys, have said to them, not only 
has it been better for the women and aged peo- 
ple, but hundreds of dogs are now being as well 
treated as we are here.” 

So I earnestly hoped when I heard this, that 
all Indians, and even half-breeds, who had been 
cruel to me and my brothers and other dogs, 
would hear what there was to be said, and be- 
come kind and gentle to all, even like these about 
whom I now heard. 

As I was full of curiosity, for a dog, I asked 
many questions of different dogs. 

Yoyageur did not want to be bothered with me, 
and Koona, the mischievous one, told me all sorts 
of absurd things, which at first I was silly enough 
to believe, and so I was made the laughing stock 
of the other dogs who said: “Wait a while, 
and you will find out what a tease and practical 
joker Koona is.” 

I observed, with great interest, the prepara- 
tions which were going on, and I found out from 


68 


Hector, My Dog 

overhearing bits of dog-talk, that most of the 
dogs were eager to go, and yet they were anx- 
ious to find out in which train they were to be 
placed, and who was to be their driver. 

I soon found out that what were considered 
the two places of honor among the dogs of the 
kennels, were the two vacant places in the mas- 
ter’s train. The other two dogs were always the 
master’s household companions, the great power- 
ful Jack, and beautiful Cuffy. Jack was the 
master’s dog and was always with him when pos- 
sible, while Cuffy was our loved mistress’s special 
friend and attendant. These two splendid dogs 
were constant companions and very fond of each 
other, and unhappy when separated. Yet Cuffy 
at times most provokingly tyrannized over Jack. 
He took all of her teasings with the greatest good 
nature. He saw it pleased her so to act, and as 
it did not hurt him very much, why he just put 
up with it because she tvas a lady dog, and would 
have had her way anyway, while he was a most 
gentlemanly dog and very patient. 

So as the time drew near for starting, the in- 
terest in the question — which two dogs shall have 
the honor of completing the master’s train — very 
much increased. 


VI 


ACCEPTED AS PLAYMATE 

W E soon found out that our master had 
selected Voyageur as the leader of his 
train. This seemed very strange to 
me, as he was such a queer, unsociable dog. Then 
he had only one eye. He was the first dog in the 
kennels that savagely bit me, and that was be- 
cause I came up to him quickly one day on his 
blind side, and in my puppy foolishness began 
fooling with him. I found out that day that 
that blind side of his was his sensitive place, and 
so did many other dogs. 

Voyageur was, when out of harness, about the 
ugliest looking dog in the whole pack. He had 
long thin legs and a long round body. His color 
was a dirty white, with a few reddish spots in 
the wrong places. He was the only dog in my 
master’s kennels to whom I had taken a thorough 
dislike. Even Koona, the young mischief, was a 
perfect beauty, and we could not help but admire 
him. But Voyageur was unattractive and so 
cold and distant. He seemed to try to keep 
aloof from the rest of the dogs, and it often ap- 
69 


70 


Hector, My Dog 

peared as though he was with his one good eye 
— and it was a brilliant one — ever guarding his 
blind side against impertinent intruders. 

It was not long before I found out what a 
stupid young dog I was, and how utterly incom- 
petent to judge my betters. This Yoyageur, 
whom I had almost despised, I soon found out 
was the most valuable dog in the kennels, and 
stood next to Jack and Cuffy, who lived with the 
master in the house, the most honored dog in his 
regard. 

He was the matchless, untiring leader in whose 
sagacity and almost unerring instinct, even old 
veteran guides trusted so implicitly, that when it 
came to deciding in the crisis of a fearful bliz- 
zard, or a whirling blinding snow-storm, which 
was the safest course to pursue, they always left 
the choice of route to wise old Yoyageur, and the 
result always showed that they had done the 
wisest thing. 

But here I was, a silly young dog, daring to 
question even my master’s wisdom in selecting as 
the leader of his splendid train, such a dog as 
ugly one-eyed old Yoyageur, when if the truth 
were told, I was not deserving of the honor of 
carrying to him his supper of white fish. 

It is the van in the storm, not the nest in the 
kennels, that shows the finest dog. 

Caesar was the other dog selected to complete 


Accepted as Playmate 71 

the master’s train. The reason of his selection, 
I found out little by little, was, that his reputa- 
tion was under a cloud, and that the kind master 
was giving him this place that he might have a 
chance to regain his character as an honorable 
dog, which he had nearly forfeited. 

The rumor was, and unfortunately it was 
found to be true, that on one of the last long 
journeys of several days, where the loads were 
heavy, and the trail very hard, Caesar had been 
detected in shirking his share of the work, and 
what was more, of pretending, when in the har- 
ness with the other three dogs, of doing a great 
deal of the pulling, when in reality he was hardly 
doing anything, and so the other dogs were about 
doing it all. 

Some of the other big dogs that had never 
been guilty of such meanness, and who wanted 
the place, were quite annoyed and inclined to be 
sulky when they found out that Caesar, the shirk, 
had been selected. However, they soon got over 
their pet. They knew that the master’s eye 
would be upon Caesar, and woe to him if he 
tried any such tricks again. Then as they 
thought it over more and more, they felt 
more kindly about it, and said: “Well, 
Caesar was always a good dog, and this was 
his first offense of the kind, and the indulgent 
master is giving him a chance to redeem him- 


72 Hector, My Dog 

self. So it is all right and we are glad he has 
got the place.” 

Caesar hardly knew whether to be ashamed or 
proud of the honor of thus being selected, es- 
pecially as it was the good master who had de- 
tected him in his selfishly shirking his share of 
the work, and now had thus honored him. How- 
ever, after thinking it over, he had dog-sense to 
see that the position was given to him as a chance 
to redeem his badly shattered reputation, and he 
resolved to do his level best to get into his 
master’s confidence. And he won it all right. 

The next two or three days were full of novelty 
and excitement to me. As I look back upon them 
now, I fear that in my desire to see and know 
everything possible, I was often in the way, and 
severely tried the patience of both men and 
dogs. 

The morning of the day for the commencement 
of the long journey at length arrived. 

It was a bitterly cold day, and I felt sorry for 
the dogs that had to go. Still they did not seem 
to mind it, but were eager to be off. 

The stars were still shining, for it was some 
hours before sunrise. The sleds had been packed 
the day before, and all other preparations pos- 
sible, fully made. 

While the master and his guide and the Indian 
drivers were having their warm breakfast in the 


Accepted as Playmate 73 

mission house, other Indians were harnessing up 
the dogs, and fastening them to the different 
sleds, which were all heavily loaded. Although 
I was but a young dog, I was proud to belong 
to such a crowd of splendid animals. 

Although they had had no breakfast, yet they 
were now full of excitement, and showed by bark- 
ings and jumping in their traces, that they were 
eager to begin the long journey. 

I am only a dog, but I could not but notice 
that in spite of the bitter cold of that early morn- 
ing, our kind mistress, well wrapped up in furs, 
came out to say “ good-bye ” to all, and to see the 
party off. She not only went to each train, and 
shook hands with the drivers, and said that she 
would look well after their families in their ab- 
sence, and see that they had everything which 
was needed, but she also stooped and patted each 
dog in the different trains, calling them each by 
name. 

Then the guide came out, and lifting off his 
cap as he shook hands with the dear mistress he 
said : 

“I will do my very best to bring the master 
safely home again.” 

“ Thank you, Tom,” she replied. “ I know 
you will do your very best. May God bless you 
and be the Guide of you all.” 

In the meantime the master had come out, and 


74 Hector, My Dog 

was standing near to his dog-sled, which was 
called a cariole. It was so arranged that when 
the roads would permit, he could ride in it. 
Here he remained for a little time while many 
Indians came and said “ Good-bye ” to him. 

He had for all of them some kindly words of 
cheer, but it was easy to see that many of them 
were sorry to have him go off on that long cold 
journey. 

Then the brave mistress, who with her little 
ones, was to be left alone for six weeks, went up 
to our master to say her words of farewell. 

When he put his arm around her neck, and 
drew her face to his, . . . well, the water 

in my eyes just then froze, and before I could 
rub it out, and again see clearly, the good mis- 
tress had turned towards the house. Then the 
master’s voice rang out : “ All right, Tom.” 

For these words Tom had now been eagerly 
waiting, and so the instant he heard them, he 
was off. 

“ Marche ! Marche ! ” shouted every driver, 
and as the eager dogs sprang to their work, the 
heavy sleds creaked in the cold snow, and then 
one after another of them glided off on the icy trail. 

And now for the first time I saw the real 
Yoyageur. 

As I looked at him, I could hardly believe my 
own eyes, and I could not help asking myself 


Accepted as Playmate 75 

the question : “ Is that the same ugly, slouching, 

sulky old fellow that kept himself so coldly aloof 
from us all in the kennels ? ” 

Yes! it is really Voyageur, but marvelously 
transformed. He is all alertness now. His head 
is up : his one brilliant eye is fairly blazing with 
excitement. His hard muscles, as he so strains 
upon his collar, stand out clear and distinct. His 
round body, with its perfect chest, reveals his 
staying powers. His not very handsome tail is 
now gracefully carried, and at times like the rest 
of his body, fairly quivers with excitement. 

This is the real Voyageur ; and as we thus see 
him, so full of life and energy, with his traces 
never slack, we see one of the finest and most 
honored dogs that ever wore a collar or faced a 
blizzard storm. 

I felt very lonely after these sixteen dogs had 
left us. It is true that there were several dogs 
left, and among them Rover and Koona. But I 
am afraid that I was a conceited young dog, and 
so I had tried to associate with the best, and now 
I missed them. 

Later on in the day I presumed to follow 
Kennedy up to the door of the mission house, 
and there I hung about while he was busily en- 
gaged in carrying in wood and water. 

While I was near the door, I overheard the 
kind mistress say : 


76 Hector, My Dog 

“Well, Kennedy, it was a cold day for tlie 
master with his men to begin such a long 
journey.” 

“ Yes, ma’m,” replied the old Indian. “ It was 
one of the coldest mornings we have had this 
winter.” 

“ What makes me think that it must have been 
at least fifty below zero,” said the mistress, “ was 
that early in the morning I heard Sam Stocking’s 
laugh from the fort, and that you know is over 
two miles away.” 

I, only a young dog in the kennels, was very 
lonely for the dogs that were away. How much 
worse it must have been for the mistress and the 
little ones in the mission house, for I heard her 
once say, that they had now been gone for six 
weeks, and she had not as yet heard one word of 
how they were getting along. 

I was allowed any amount of liberty during 
these weeks, and as I moved around I was able 
to pick up a good deal of information. 

At the mission house I had early discovered 
that there were two bonn}^ little white children, 
and I learned from Kennedy that now they very 
much missed Jack and Cuffy the great house- 
dogs with whom they used to play so much. 

One day Kennedy was, for him, a quiet old 
Indian, quite excited, and he said to me : 

“ Do you know, young doggie, that the little 


Accepted as Playmate 77 

boy you have often seen at the mission house, 
has been pleading with his mother, our kind mis- 
tress, to let him have you to play with in the 
house, and if he likes you, and you behave your- 
self, you perhaps will yet be called one of his 
own dogs, for his father, our master, has promised 
him a train of dogs, as soon as he is big enough 
to drive them.” 

This was wonderful news to me, and although 
I could not get it all into my young foolish head, 
yet I did understand that it meant good news 
for me. 

So I frisked and romped around and barked 
for very joy, even if I did not much understand 
the reason wh} r . 

Old Eover came out of his kennel, and wanted 
to know what all the fuss was about. When told 
as much as I was able to tell him, he congratu- 
lated me, and said he hoped that I had dog-sense 
enough to behave myself, and know my place. 
Then Koona, who had been sulking in the kennel, 
and full of indignation that he had not been al- 
lowed to go off with the master’s train, came 
trotting up with ears erect and his handsome tail 
over his back, and in his saucy way, asked why 
it was that I was giving such a display of canine 
foolishness. 

Strange to say, when he heard that there was 
a possibility of my being promoted from the 


78 Hector, My Dog 

kennels to the kitchen, and thug become one of 
the pet dogs of the little master, Koona lost all 
interest in the matter, and with a contemptuous 
toss of his head, retired at once to the kennels, 
and there in the darkest corner half-buried him- 
self in the hay and pretended to go to sleep. 

I was very much surprised at this strange con- 
duct on the part of Koona. I had had to put up 
with so much of his banter and mischief already, 
that now I had expected that I would be the 
subject of a lot of his raillery and sarcasm. 
Some time later, Rover, who had seen the whole 
affair, and had been amused by it, told me the 
reason why Koona had thus acted. 

It seems that Koona had once had a capital 
place in the kitchen, and was petted and admired 
by every one on account of his beauty and his 
clever ways. 

But the trouble with Koona was, he was an 
incorrigible thief, and no matter how well-fed 
and kindly treated, he would steal whenever he 
could get a chance. Yery queer were some of 
his stealings, for they were of things that he 
could not possibly eat. At first he was only 
laughed at, but at length the matter became so 
serious, that it had to be reported to the master. 

The master was very indulgent, and by kind- 
ness hoped to break him of his weakness, but 
it was impossible. Severe measures were then 


Accepted as Playmate 79 

tried, and as they also failed, Koona was ban- 
ished from his warm place in the kitchen, and 
sent in disgrace to the kennels. 

So now, while he tries to appear as though he 
does not care, and often in his pert cocky way 
says : “I don’t care we all know better, for he 
has shown that he feels his disgrace most de- 
cidedly just now. 

When I heard this in my youthful stupidity, I 
went back into the kennel where Koona lay, and 
tried to sympathize with him, but I only got a 
first-class thrashing for my pains. 

Dear me ! dog-nature is so hard to understand, 
even by dogs. So it is no wonder our masters do 
not always understand us. 

I have also learned that it is sometimes well to 
keep even our condolences, as well as our advice, 
to ourselves, until they are wanted. 

Dear old Dover, when I told him that Koona 
had given me such a mauling, he gave me a thor- 
ough looking over, and said I was none the worse 
for the shaking. He then gave me a few rules 
for my guidance, if I should have the great honor 
of being allowed to take the place in the mission 
house from which Koona had been expelled. 

Dear old Dover, very seldom had he been in 
the mission house, unless when as the dog-doctor 
he had been sent for to heal an ugly wound or 
two on Jack or Cuffy’s shoulders, which they 


8o 


Hector, My Dog 

could not reach with their tongues. Clever as 
those two great dogs were, they never seemed 
to get the knack of in this way helping each 
other. 

Still what Rover said to me was wise and proper. 
He warned me never to go in the house with 
dirty feet. If I did, I would very quickly be 
bundled out. 

Then he warned me never to touch any article 
of food that was not specially given to me. He 
was also very earnest in his warnings when he 
told me that I was never under any circumstances 
or provocation to growl at the little children with 
whom I would be taken to romp and play. But 
I must be very gentle with them, and quickly as 
possible learn to understand what they said or 
wanted me to do, and then be prompt to obey. 

Kennedy then took me soon after I had bad 
this advice from dear old Rover, away to his 
house, and there before the fire in a big tub, he 
gave me such a scrubbing with hot water and 
soft soap. Then he soused me in water, making 
it colder and colder. After this he rubbed me as 
dry as he could, keeping me close to the fire. He 
then spread out a large buffalo robe near the 
fire, and told me I was to stay there in his warm 
house until the next morning. 

When he brought me my supper of white fish, 
I wanted to go outside to eat it, but this he would 


Accepted as Playmate 81 

not permit, as he said I might catch cold after 
such a hot bath. 

The next morning he almost tired me out, as 
he spent so much time in combing and brushing 
me from my nose to the tip of my tail of heavy 
wavy hair. 

Indeed, he had hardly finished before we heard 
the sharp voice of old Mary the nurse saying : 

“ Astum pashu atim ! ” (Come with that dog.) 

Old Mary the nurse, was a queer-looking lit- 
tle, old woman with a crooked back and a very 
sharp tongue when she was annoyed. Her won- 
derful love for the little children of the mission 
home caused her master and mistress to for- 
get her defects. And so now in her solicitude 
for these little ones, over whom she watched with 
such untiring devotion, she was here to see, and 
carefully examine the dog that it was proposed 
to admit to the society of her loved little charges. 

Speaking rather sharply to Kennedy, who had 
me in charge, her first question was : 

“ Is he a clean dog ? ” 

This was an important question from Mary’s 
standpoint, as it was her work and delight to keep 
the children clothed in garments of soft deer- 
skin, beautifully white and tastefully ornamented 
with silk and bead- work. 

For answer Kennedy, who had so thoroughly 
cared for me, asked her to part my furry coat and 


82 Hector, My Dog 

see how clean and pink was the skin under- 
neath. 

The investigation that followed proved entirely 
satisfactory, even to the critical Mary. Then she 
began putting her second question : 

“ Is he ” But Mary got no further with 

her question, for here the door flew open, and in 
there bounded the two sweetest, happiest children 
I ever saw. 

Fearlessly they threw their arms about me, and 
pressing their little heads against my furry coat, 
they said : 

“ Oh, he is a beautiful doggie, and we are sure 
he will love us, and we will love him, and w r e will 
have great fun with him, as we often have with 
Jack and Cuffy.” 

Who can explain the mystery of love ? Even 
that of a dog. 

In that moment my love went out to those lit- 
tle children — that little boy and girl — and for 
them I felt that if it were necessary, I would 
gladly die. 


VII 


CONQUERED BY LOVE 

T HUS began the happiest experiences of 
my dog-life. During several hours of 
the day, the children and I were in- 
separable companions. 

Jack and Cuffy, their usual playfellows, were, 
as I have already mentioned, away with the 
master on one of his many long winter journeys. 
So I had the joy of having the children all to 
myself. 

The kind mistress very naturally questioned 
Kennedy a good deal about me, and also gave me 
a thorough examination herself. She did not 
consider it beneath her notice to study the pecul- 
iarities of the various dogs which in those days 
were used at that northern mission field. 

She was also, as I soon discovered, a skilful 
dog-driver, and we dogs found out that when her 
cheery voice was in command, as we sped over 
the icy lake, or well-polished trail, we were ex- 
pected to do our very best, for she dearly loved 
the excitement of rapid traveling in that clear, 
frosty air. But she was never known to use the 
whip, and somehow or other, although we dogs 

83 


84 Hector, My Dog 

soon found this out, there was not one of us that 
would think of doing anything else than his very 
best when he knew that the only thing that 
was urging him on was the wish of this loved 
mistress. 

The blizzard storms were raging outside for 
the first few days after I was admitted into the 
society of these little children. The result was, 
we had to have our romps and plays in the large 
kitchen, where, in the great iron stove, in the 
centre of the room, there was kept a roaring fire 
which made the place warm and comfortable. 

Mary, the queer old nurse with her sharp eyes 
and warning words to me, if she thought at times 
I was a little too rough in my gambols, was always 
with us. 

Although she ever seemed busy with her fin- 
gers, working at some beautiful bead-work or 
silk or porcupine quill embroidery, she was alert 
to notice everything that went on. She had not 
the slightest trouble in getting into a passion with 
faithful Kennedy when he filled up the capacious 
boxes with wood, or the barrel with water. A 
sarcastic word, or a sneering look from an Indian 
maid, would raise such a storm in her little 
crooked body, that the mistress had sometimes 
to come out and quiet it. What surprised me 
about her was her intense devotion and love for 
these two little white children. Every look in 


Conquered by Love 85 

her brilliant black eyes, and every word towards 
them she uttered, showed nothing but the deepest 
affection and intensest devotion. In her eyes, 
they were absolutely perfect, and never did 
wrong. The only time she would dare create a 
scene with her mistress, was when the children 
had to receive a slight punishment for some 
decided breach of discipline. Then woe even to 
the dog that got in Mary’s way. 

So, as I romped and played with Sagastao and 
Minnehaha, I had to keep one eye on old Mary, 
for she certainly had two on me. 

The children had played so much with Jack 
and Cuffy, that they were well posted in various 
ways of amusing themselves with dogs indoors. 
And so now with me they experimented, and I 
am afraid that at first at least, they thought me 
a very stupid dog. 

One of the simplest things they did, was to 
have old Mary hunt up for them a number of 
sash belts and a dog’s saddle cloth. Then in 
these they would gaily deck me out, and thus we 
marched around the room. 

When they found that I was happy and con- 
tented in these gay trappings, they had the man 
Kennedy hunt up for them a spare dog harness 
with its silvery jingling bells. 

And now just think of it — and who can explain 
it — I, the dog that had so fought against the har- 


86 


Hector, My Dog 

ness, and had even conquered some of the best 
half-breed dog drivers of the Indian village, found 
myself in the hands of these little children and 
powerless to resist. 

The hated collar, the sight of which used to 
fill me with fury when being forced over my 
head by cruel men, was now welcomed with 
pleasure when now handled by the little soft, 
white hands of these happy children, who vied 
with each other, as laughingly they tugged 
and pushed the collar into its place over my 
head. 

Even the memory of my wrongs was then for- 
gotten, and so in spite of the dreadful past, I 
here found myself holding down my head to the 
children, and doing all I could to assist them as 
much as possible in getting this rather tight collar 
in its place. 

As I am only a dog, of course I cannot tell why 
all the fight and revengeful feelings had gone out 
of me, but here I was, the dog that had resisted 
so many times so obstinately, and had continued 
unconquered by stalwart men, now completely 
subdued and conquered by these little children. 

Oh, men and women, if you only knew the 
power there is in love and kindness and sym- 
pathy in your dealings with us poor dumb crea- 
tures, who so often mourn that we cannot talk 
your language and thus explain these things to 



I FOUND MYSELF 


PROMPTLY OBEYING MY LITTLE MASTER’ 






Conquered by Love 87 

you, you would deal with us more patiently, and 
in return, our loyalty and devotion as well as 
service to you would be so increased, that even 
to die for you, or in your cause, would be to us a 
delight. 

With shouts of triumph at their success, when 
the children had succeeded in completely harness- 
ing me up, they at once proceeded to put me to 
work. 

As the kitchen floor was found to be unsuitable 
even for a narrow sled, after various expedients, 
such as trying boxes and over-turned chairs, and 
finding them failures, the happy suggestion of 
Minnehaha was carried out, and amidst the 
laughter of herself and Sagastao, the traces of my 
harness were fastened to the front of her home- 
made carriage. This proved a great success. 
And so with Minnehaha in it, and Sagastao as 
driver, I found myself with willing alacrity and 
even eagerness, to understand, promptly obeying 
my little master as he called out : 

u Marche ! ” (Go.) 

And then “Chaw ” (right) or “ Yee ” (left), as 
he wanted me to go in different directions in the 
capacious kitchen. 

Thus, without hardly knowing how it came 
about, I found myself conquered, and that with- 
out a cross word, or the sight of a whip. 

Of course the story of my surrender to the 


88 


Hector, My Dog 

children was soon known in the village, and I 
heard that there was much talk about it. 

Some were incredulous, and said : “ Oh, that 
is only a little play with the children in the 
house. Wait until he is tried on the ice, or on 
the trail, and you will see that he is as obstinate 
as ever.” 

As the wild stormy weather continued for 
some time, there was nothing for it but to be 
content to stay indoors. The children, especially 
Sagastao, chafed under this, for he was a hardy 
lad, and loved to be out in the bracing air. 

So we had great times in that big kitchen, 
although some of the things those children asked 
me to do, and in which they succeeded, seemed very 
odd to me. One was, that I should stand up, 
and then even walk on two legs, when I had four 
good ones. Another thing was, that when they 
asked me to stand up, and they then put a piece 
of pemmican, which I dearly loved, on my nose, 
they kept me standing there very still with that 
sweet morsel, until they said : “ One ! two ! 

three ! ” Then I was allowed to toss it up and 
eat it. 

Old Mary, and even the kind mistress, came 
at the children’s urgings, and joined in some 
of the sports, and strange to say there was one 
sport in which I easily excelled them all. And 
that one was : “ Hunt the slipper.” 


Conquered by Love 89 

It made no matter to me whose slipper it was. 
All I wanted, was just to have one smell of it be- 
fore the game began. Then, no matter whether 
it was hid under the corner of a carpet or rug 
or down under the wood in the box, or up be- 
hind a picture, it made no difference to me, I 
could find it first almost every time. This was 
of course a mystery to the children, and also to me. 

The good mother explained it to the children, 
by telling them that dogs had in a more or less 
degree, the power of scent or smell so largely de- 
veloped, that they could very easily by it find 
anything they desired, as they had seen me do. 

She also explained, that by it a dog could find 
his master or his home, and a hunting-dog the 
game, and the bloodhound the criminal he was 
tracing up. It was indeed a great surprise when 
they heard that to many dogs his powers of 
scent were more to him than his eyes or ears. 

Since that day when there dawned upon me, a 
young foolish dog, the knowledge that I had a 
sense or gift, call it what you may, that no man 
or woman had, I have often wondered why it 
should be, that we creatures thus gifted, even if 
we are defective in other ways, should be called 
mere brutes, and doomed to utter and complete 
extinction, while our masters, defective where 
we are gifted, but having as we also have, the 
power of intense and undying love, should alone 


Hector, My Dog 


90 

have immortality in wider and grander surround- 
ings. Surely it cannot be. That which is within 
us dumb creatures, call it spirit, if you will not 
let us call it soul, which can be loyal and true, 
and can trust and love even unto death, is surely 
not to be annihilated or even dissipated in im- 
mensity. 

But from these cogitations we must get back 
to realities. 

The blizzards and storms having spent their 
fury, and passed away, there followed some very 
delightful bright wintry weather. 

It was as it nearly always is in such high lati- 
tudes, very cold, but the sun was bright and the 
air was dry and invigorating. 

The children, especially Sagastao. had become 
weary of the confinement to the house, and so 
persuaded the mother to let old Mary wrap them 
up well in their fur and leather garments, and go 
out for a run and play on the frozen lake just 
in front of the home. 

I was delighted when I found out that I was 
expected to accompany them. 

For a time, old Rover and Koona joined us, 
but they soon returned to their kennel. Then 
soon, the little sweet Minnehaha felt the cold to 
be too severe, and she went back to the house, 
leaving my little master and myself alone to our 
sports. 


Conquered by Love 91 

Suddenly stopping on the ice, Sagastao turned 
to me and said : 

“ See here, Hector, I don’t see why you can- 
not as well draw me, out here on a sled, as you 
can draw Minnehaha in her little carriage in the 
house.” 

With the suggestion of the thought in his 
mind, came the resolve to carry it into action. 
And so with me at his heels, he hurried over to 
the little house of Kennedy, and solicited the help 
of that good-natured kindly man to aid him in 
carrying out his resolve. 

Kennedy at first was inclined to demur, declar- 
ing that there was no use in trying to harness to 
a sled such a dog as I was, that had conquered 
the most experienced dog-trainers. 

As the man went on painting my character in 
the darkest colors to my little master, of course 
I felt very much humiliated, but great indeed 
was my joy when I found that I had a friend in 
Sagastao, who stoutly answered Kennedy by say- 
ing that the cruel men who had so beaten me, 
had, as he had heard his father say, not under- 
stood me, and that he was sure that all I asked 
for was kindness. 

Anyway, he was going to try and see if that 
was not the right way. 

“ And now, Kennedy,” he added, “ I am go- 
ing to take Hector in the house, and harness him, 


92 


Hector, My Dog 

and while I am gone be quick and get out forme 
one of the lightest of the birchwood sleds.” 

And Kennedy, bewildered and perplexed though 
he was, obeyed. For whoever saw any of those 
Indians refuse any request made by one of those 
little white children. 

Then turning to me, my little master shouted : 
“ Astum (come), Hector,” and away we hurried 
to the house. The harness was speedily found, 
and no dog ever tried harder than I did to speedily 
get my head in the collar. The saddle-cloth was 
quickly adjusted, and the bellyband buckled, and 
then while Mary held open the kitchen door, I 
trotted out to the music of the little silvery bells, 
while my master proudly hung on to the traces. 

Kennedy was perfectly amazed, as he stood a 
little distance away watching us. But a shout 
from Sagastao for the sled aroused him, and with 
a sudden push, he sent it sliding over the icy 
ground to the spot where my young master and 
I were standing. 

At first, the sight of that sled thus skimming 
over the ice and snow towards me made me shiver 
and tremble. I could not at once forget the 
terrible battles I had had with cruel men, and 
how I had hated the sight of these things. 

But my little master, who had seen me trem- 
bling, spoke kindly to me, and when I saw that 
he understood, I shook off my terror, and even 


93 


\ 

Conquered by Love 

if it was at first a good deal of an effort, I barked 
in his face as joyously as I could, to show that I 
trusted him, and was eager to do everything for 
him that I could. 

Then I was more than ever resolved to do my 
very best, for when I turned my head towards 
one of the windows of the house, there I saw the 
bright, expectant, happy faces of the mistress and 
Minnehaha, and even that of old Mary. Kennedy, 
silent and half-alarmed, still stood at some dis- 
tance, glumly looking on. 

Sagastao led me to the front of the sled, and I 
stood perfectly still while he fastened in the loops 
of the sled the ends of the traces of my harness. 

All the time my little master was getting 
things in order he kept saying kind words to me, 
and hoped that I would show them all that when 
kindly treated, I could really be a good dog. 

Of course, I could not understand all he said, 
but the friendly and nice way in which he talked, 
was so different from the harsh words of the 
cruel men, that I was really eager to show him 
that I would do my very best to please him. 

But alas ! I was too eager to show off. For 
when my little master stood up on the sled, and 
said : 

“ Now, Hector, Marche ! ” I, in pure delight, 
dashed off with such eagerness, that I jerked the 
sled from under him, and down he fell on his 


94 Hector, My Dog 

back. His feet flew up in the air, while his head 
hit the hard icy ground with such force that he 
afterwards said that he saw stars. 

But that seemed a queer remark to me, as it 
was bright sunshine, and I always thought that 
the stars were only seen at night. 

Dear little Minnehaha at the window, when she 
saw her brother fall so hard on the ground, cried 
out in alarm, while fiery Mary with bitter words 
and armed with a club, came rushing out to in- 
flict dire punishment on me. 

But ere she could reach me, for, ashamed of 
what I had done, I had quickly turned round, and 
returned to my young master, the sturdy little 
fellow threw himself in front of the angry little 
woman, and calling her by her pet name, Sake- 
how, he asked her to leave him alone with his 
dog. 

As suddenly as her passion had arisen, so sud- 
denly did it cool down at that magic word to her, 
and turning around she, without another word, 
reentered the house. 

Adjusting his fur cap, which had fortunately in 
a measure broken the force of his fall on the ice, 
my little master said, as he patted me : 

“ It is all right, Hector. It was my fault. I 
should have sat down on the sled, for I did not 
know that you were so eager to be off.” 

Then, turning the sled around, he firmly seated 


95 


Conquered by Love 

himself on it, and gripping hold of the deerskin 
loops at the side, he cheerfully shouted out to 
me : 

“ Now, Hector, Marche, and do your very best 
to throw me off.” 

Humiliated at having so suddenly upset him 
before, I now started off rather slowly this time. 
But there was no occasion for my caution now. 
So pluckily did he hold on, that all my fears for 
him were soon gone, and in response to his cheery 
calls I galloped as hard as I could wherever he 
desired on the icy trail and the frozen lake. 

When he had had enough of this exciting sport, 
he called me into the home trail, and as fast as I 
could run, I brought him to the door of the 
house. 

There, to our surprise, we found a number of 
the Indians of the village, who had been sum- 
moned by Kennedy, to see how the once stub- 
born dog, that they had about decided was only 
fit to be cooked and eaten, had been conquered 
by a little boy. 

But while I thought I knew a little about what 
they were thinking, I only saw the faces of my 
kind mistress and Minnehaha, who, wrapping 
some fur garments about themselves, had come 
out in the cold, to greet us with loving, cheery 
words. 

They even wanted to help my little master, 


g6 Hector, My Dog 

who was so proud and happy, to unharness me, 
but although the tip of his nose was frozen white 
and hard, he would not think of having it at- 
tended to until I was escorted to my buffalo-skin 
rug in the kitchen, and well cared for. 

Thus began my career as a sleigh-dog. 

Every day, when the weather was favorable, 
Sagastao had me out for a run. Sometimes Min- 
nehaha, well wrapped up in fur robes, was seated 
carefully on the sled, and with her proud, happy 
brother hanging on behind her, we had many 
runs over the icy trails. 

I did my best to save them from mishaps, but 
in spite of all I could do there were times when a 
flaw in the trail or an unnoticed piece of crystal 
ice would upset the narrow, cranky sled, and spill 
its occupants out on the ice or in the snow. But 
they were the hardy children of the Northland, 
and so these upsets only gave a zest to the outing, 
and added to the merriment of the hour. 


Till 


A REGULAR SLEIGH-DOG 

I SHALL not soon forget the day that my 
young master had the delight of showing 
me to his father as a well-trained sleigh-dog. 
One forenoon, there appeared suddenly in the 
kitchen, Tom Grieve, the famous guide. His 
coming in was quiet and yet not unexpected, for, 
for days now the family had been on the lookout 
for the return of the master and his party. 

Yet not one word had been heard from them 
for all these long six weeks, as there are no op- 
portunities of sending letters or any word in 
those lonely regions. 

So Tom’s sudden coming was hailed by my 
mistress and the children with great delight. 
He quickly relieved their minds of any anxiety, 
by telling them that all were well, and that he 
had left them at the morning camp-fire, eating 
their breakfast, and that judging by the speed 
with which he had run, they ought to be along 
in a couple of hours. 

While he was eating a hearty meal, which the 
mistress had had prepared for him, he was plied 
97 


98 Hector, My Dog 

with any number of questions by the children 
about their father and Jack and Cuffy. 

Sagastao then called me to follow him, and, 
slipping out of the house, he hurried over to the 
house of Kennedy, and rapidly telling him the 
news, then said to him : 

“ I want you to be quick and help me to rig up 
Hector to a light sled, for I am resolved to go 
and meet my father, and show him what a splen- 
did sleigh-dog Hector has become. ,, 

At first, Kennedy, who was a cautious man, 
felt inclined to refuse, but the eagerness and en- 
thusiasm of my young master as usual prevailed, 
and soon Kennedy seemed to catch the spirit, 
and it was not long before I was well harnessed 
up, and had received any amount of instructions. 

We still had a little time to wait, as Kennedy 
said it would never do to start until, in the far 
distance, the trains were visible. 

At length, however, the keen eyes of the Indian 
saw the sleds emerge from the distant forest out 
on to the white frozen lake, still some miles 
away. 

Seeing that the little master was well-seated on 
his little sled and securely packed in his fur robes, 
Kennedy then turned me around, and told me to 
be a good doggie and obey. He was much 
pleased to see how steadily I started off to meet 
the home-coming trains and the master. 


A Regular Sleigh-Dog 99 

It was not long before I heard the jingling of 
the sleigh-bells, and then soon after we saw the 
trains. 

These home-coming trains were traveling very 
fast. The sight of home was now in the eyes of 
the dogs, and they well knew that at yonder 
white mission there was food and rest for days 
to come. 

So, in the excitement of the hour, they forgot 
their bruises and their bleeding feet. 

My little master, seeing the speed at which 
they were coming, called to me to turn round, 
and there close at the side of the trail, along 
which they would come, we waited for them. 
But we did not have long to wait, for Yoyageur 
was leading the master’s train, and behind him 
were Jack and Cuffy and Caesar. 

As they were coming up, Sagastao started me, 
so that when they dashed up, I was able to get 
their pace, and thus keep my little master’s sled 
side by side with the cariole of his father. 

“Welcome home, father ! ” shouted my plucky 
little driver. “ And now for a race.” 

Up to that moment, the father had not recog- 
nized who it was that so bundled up in furs, was 
here racing him in the trail. But the well-known 
voice revealed his identity, greatly to the father’s 
delight. 

A few loving words of greeting were ex- 


LOFC. 


IOO 


Hector, My Dog 

changed, while the father was inclined to stop 
his train and take into his large cariole his dar- 
ling boy, whom he was so glad to see. 

But not so thought Sagastao just then. The 
excitement of a race with the dog he himself had 
broken in, against the crack trains of the mission, 
absorbed him, and then the home was near at 
hand. And so with cheery voice he urged me to 
do my very best while again he shouted : 

“ A race, father, a race ! ” 

One thing I have learned in reference to speed 
in dog-traveling, is this : It makes no matter 
how many dogs there may be in the train, the 
progress made is no greater than the speed of 
the slowest dog. 

By doing my very best, I found that I could 
keep alongside of Caesar, and this happened to 
be the best thing possible as it enabled the father 
to put out his fur-clad hand and steady the sled 
of the lad which on the icy trail was flying along 
beside his heavier and steadier cariole. 

Thus on and on we ran in glad excitement over 
the now wide, icy trail. Close behind us were 
the other trains, the dogs of which had caught 
the glamour of the home coming and were wild 
to be there. 

Yet amidst all the noise of the jingling bells 
and shouts of drivers, my little master was able 
to tell his father with joyous shouts, how well he 


A Regular Sleigh-Dog ioi 

had succeeded with me, and what a good, faith- 
ful dog I now was. 

My quick ear caught these pleasant words of 
commendation, and my happiness was complete, 
when on our reaching the mission house together, 
the master, as he stepped out of his cariole, 
after kissing Sagastao, came and petted me and 
said : “ I knew it was in you, Hector, and felt 

sure that you would make a splendid dog if 
kindly and decently handled. I am glad I was 
not mistaken.” 

So elated was I that I had succeeded in keep- 
ing alongside of Csesar and thus arriving at the 
same time as the master’s train, that I am afraid 
that I strutted around a good deal like the young 
foolish dog that I was. 

This silly conduct on my part, in the presence 
of these splendid dogs that had just finished a 
journey of hundreds of miles, was simply ridicu- 
lous, yet none of the fine dogs seemed to no- 
tice it. 

But it was more than Koona could stand. He 
was still in a bad humor for not having been 
allowed to go on this journey just ended, and 
also vexed that I had supplanted him in the 
affections of the young master, and so when he 
saw me so strutting around, he savagely pitched 
into me and tried to give me a good thrashing. 
Fortunately for me, my little master was not far 


102 


Hector, My Dog 

off with Jack and Cuffy. Seeing Koona thus 
viciously assailing me, he shouted out : 

“ Jack ! Jack ! make Koona behave himself.” 

With a rush Jack caught Koona by the back 
of his neck, and jerking him away from me, he 
threw him into a snowdrift with such suddenness, 
that Koona was so frightened that as speedily as 
possible, he struggled out of the snow, and skulk- 
ing off to the kennels, was not seen again until 
feeding time. 

Old Rover, the dog-doctor, was now busy 
going from one dog to another, cleaning with 
his tongue their sore shoulders and bleeding feet. 
When he saw Koona attack me, he came quite 
near to us, and there sitting down on his hind 
legs, coolly watched the row, without the slight- 
est idea of interfering, 

A queer dog was old Rover. He was never 
known to fight himself, or even to interfere in 
the quarrels of other dogs. His sole work was 
to dress the wounds of the combatants after the 
fight was over. 

So here he quietly looked on while Koona 
tried to master me, and then he manifested the 
same indifference when Jack interfered. 

But the instant Jack had dragged Koona 
away, Rover was about and active. With a 
bound he was close beside me, and with so much 
eagerness did he begin nosing around my neck 


A Regular Sleigh-Dog 103 

and throat, that at first I thought I was in for 
another battle. 

Grand old dog! He was just carefully ex- 
amining me to see if the sharp teeth of Koona 
had cut into me, and left any wounds that he 
might cure with that tongue of his, which was 
his whole stock in trade. 

A careful investigation showed him that my 
thick coating of hair had saved me from serious 
injury, and so Rover in his good-natured way 
congratulated me on escaping so easily and then 
went back to the sore and wounded dogs of the 
trains that had just returned, several of which 
much needed his kindly skilful attention. 

Yet I could not but notice that w T hile there 
were several dogs that really needed the assist- 
ance which Rover could give, as their wounds 
were where they could not reach them them- 
selves, especially those caused by the collars, yet 
there were other dogs who could easily have 
attended to their own wounds, but did not, if 
they could only induce old Rover to do the work 
for them. 

It looked very odd to me, a dog, to see some 
great old dogs following him around and whining 
to win his attention, and then holding out their 
sore feet for Rover to lick them well again, when 
they should have done the work themselves. 

With the return of Jack and Cuffy, the two 


io4 


Hector, My Dog 

dogs that lived in the mission house with the 
family, and thus in a measure kept apart from 
the rest of the dogs I did not see so much now 
of my little master. But nearly every day he 
came out to see me, and as he was generally 
accompanied by Jack and Cuffy, he let them 
know that we were to be very good friends. I 
could not help but notice, however, that when 
Jack was around, he was not so free and demon- 
strative in his friendship, as when we were alone. 
For a time I could not make this out. However, 
Koona one day enlightened me, by abruptly ask- 
ing me what I thought a very queer question. 
It was: “Has Jack yet given you a thrash- 
ing ? ” 

I quickly said : “ Ho,” and wanted to know 

why he asked such a question. With a grin he 
replied : 

“Jack allows no rivals in his young master’s 
friendship. When I was in favor, and the chil- 
dren made a great fuss over me, I of course felt 
my importance, and acted accordingly. But Jack 
met me alone one day, and gave me such a 
thrashing that I have taken care to give him no 
good reason to have to repeat it.” 

Why Koona should have thus put me on my 
guard, I could not explain, but I think that it was 
because he felt ashamed of himself for that last 
needless attack upon me. 


A Regular Sleigh-Dog 105 

Thus have I found that even the worst dogs 
have some good qualities about them. 

This warning of Koona’s came none too soon, 
as I soon found out, and indeed a number of the 
dogs had already been wondering why Jack had 
not already given me a thrashing, seeing that 
such a fuss was made over me. 

From this I learned another lesson about dogs, 
and that was, that even the best of them had their 
faults. For here was the great Jack with all his 
splendid qualities, yet at times subject to fits of 
jealousy. 

So it is no wonder that we observant dogs 
sometimes see what looks very much like this 
spirit of jealousy among human beings, when it 
can so enter into the hearts even of dogs. 

Thus was I learning things as the days went 

by- 

As the time passed on, and I was so well 
treated I overheard my master say that I had 
really developed into a first class dog. So I was 
put in a train with other dogs and given some 
light work to do, and then sent off on some short 
trips. 

As I was most kindly treated, I much enjoyed 
the work and was happier those days I was busy, 
than when I was idle. 

I soon became so accustomed to the work that 
I was, with my comrades, sent off to the fisheries 


106 Hector, My Dog 

for loads of the frozen white fish. Some days I 
helped in hauling wood from the distant forest, 
and a couple of times I went with many others, 
for loads of hay for the cows. 

My greatest delight, however, was when the 
master would have me harnessed up in his own 
train, with Yoyageur, Jack and Cuffy. Then with 
the master, mistress and children well wrapped 
up in the fur robes of the cariole, we would rap- 
idly travel for miles and miles over the icy 
trails. 

No whips were ever carried on those happy ex. 
cursions, for they were never needed. Indeed, it 
was not long before, even with my poor dog- 
sense, that I discovered that what my master and 
mistress said or thought was : 

“We will go out on no pleasure excursion ex- 
cept with dogs that enjoy the run as much as we 
do ourselves.” 

But as I was still a young dog, I was not re- 
quired to take part in continuous heavy work. 
The master, who was wise as well as kind, was 
more than once heard to say that many a valua- 
ble dog had been ruined by being worked too 
hard before his strength was fully developed. 
So some other young dogs and myself had about 
as many' days of rest as of work. 

The little master Sagastao, who every day was 
becoming more clever in driving dogs, was now 


A Regular Sleigh-Dog 107 

ambitious to have a train that he could call his 
own. 

At first the older people were inclined to ob- 
ject, and old Mary was madly against it, and de- 
clared that the little master would be killed. 
The importunities of Sagastao, however, at length 
prevailed, and so, with necessary arrangement 
for his safety, it was decided to make up a train 
that should be called his own, and be available 
for his use when the dogs were not needed on 
important work. 

A clever young Indian lad called Alec, was se- 
cured to assist Sagastao in the management of 
the train. Alec was also to be the driver when 
both of the children went out, well wrapped up 
in fur robes, in the new beautiful cariole which 
had been purchased for them. He was also to be 
responsible for the care of the dogs, and to see 
that they were well fed, and in every way well 
looked after. 

My delight was very great when I learned 
from my young master that he had chosen me as 
one of his train. 

The other three dogs were selected by the 
master with the assistance of Grieve and Ken- 
nedy, after a good deal of testing and trials of 
speed. In a perfect train, the dogs should be 
well matched in size, endurance, and speed. 

The three dogs were called Billy, Boxer, 


108 Hector, My Dog 

and Buster. We were all about the same 
age. 

Grieve the guide harnessed the four of us up 
together, and had several races with us. His de- 
cision regarding us was that while we would 
never be a train of racers, having no strain of 
greyhound blood in us, yet we would be a good 
strong train of useful dogs. Then turning to the 
master, he said with a bit of a laugh : 

“ They have been so well fed and are such a 
conceited lot, that I fancy each one thinks he is 
a little better than the others and there may be 
some rows among them ere each one knows his 
place.” 

As I stood there, still in the traces, listening to 
these remarks of Grieve, I thought, What silly 
nonsense, he must surely know that I am the best 
dog in the train, and will be the boss. 

Strange to say, I afterwards found out that the 
other three dogs that had also heard these same 
words, had thought about them just as I did. So 
it was evident there was trouble ahead. 

Sagastao, our young master, who now called 
us all his own, was very proud of us. 

He easily coaxed his father to have old Memo- 
tas, the famous harness-maker, come and make a 
splendid new set of moose-skin harness for us. 

Old Mary, who had been reconciled by seeing 
how the lad had set his heart on the dogs, was 


A Regular Sleigh-Dog 109 

now busily engaged in making most beautiful 
saddle-cloths for each of us four dogs. They were 
wonderfully ornamented with beads and silk 
work as only Mary’s skilful hands could do it. 

When Memotas brought home the harness, and 
they were pronounced a splendid fit by even 
Grieve the guide, Mary produced her beautiful 
saddle-cloths and fastened them on each dog with 
her own hands. 

The little master’s joy was about complete 
when his father produced from somewhere, six- 
teen sweet open silver bells, four of which Memo- 
tas speedily attached to each of our dog collars. 


IX 


AMBITION AND JEALOUSY 

O UR little master and Alec were both 
very kind to us. They secured a large 
warm kennel for us four dogs apart 
from the rest. They saw that we were well fed, 
and watched that none of the older and more 
powerful dogs should steal our fish. 

I am sorry to have, as a faithful dog- writer, to 
be obliged to say, that we four dogs had not been 
long together, before we began to be very jealous 
of each other. 

How it began we hardly know. We were of 
different litters of puppies, and each one therefore 
was certain that he was better than were the 
others. 

Of course I, Hector, had foolishly imagined 
that I was superior to the others. I even 
thought that my very name, Hector, would 
ensure me that respect which dogs by the 
common name of Billy, Boxer, or Buster, 
would not expect to have. 

But they all grinned, and said : 

“ Who are you, anyway ? Born in the woods, 
brought up in a goose-nest, and pitched out of a 
no 


Ambition and Jealousy 1 1 1 

wigwam, while our mothers were among our 
master’s favorite dogs.” 

Thus was the conceit taken out of me, and I 
was thus roughly taught that there was not much 
in a name, especially for a dog. 

We then began to make sarcastic remarks 
about each other, which eventually became so 
severe, that we had some tiffs and even fights, 
when neither Sagastao nor Alec were around. 

Thus it went on from bad to worse, until one 
day Alec caught us in a most thoroughly mixed 
up battle among ourselves. 

He, as in duty bound, at once reported it to 
the master. His description of it was, that it 
was a general scrimmage or fight of one dog 
after another against the other three. 

This, as far as my dog-memory will allow me 
to recall, was quite correct. The fact was, each 
one of us dogs wanted to be, as Grieve the guide 
had predicted, the boss over the others. 

So it happened in our battles, if one of us in a 
set-to managed to down another, the conqueror 
was speedily set on by the other two and tum- 
bled over in a hurry. The result of this kind of 
fighting was, that after every row we had among 
ourselves, not one of us was allowed to consider 
himself better than his comrades. 

The master was inclined at first to treat the 
matter as but the rough play of some young, 


I 12 


Hector, My Dog 

high-spirited dogs, but when some days after, 
Alec and Sagastao reported that there were 
wounds, that were more than mere scratches, on 
some of our heads, the master decided on im- 
mediate action that would put a stop to our ever 
again fighting or even quarreling among our- 
selves. 

The plan adopted was stern and severe, but in 
the end it was successful. 

The night had been bitterly cold, and when 
the morning dawned, a half-blizzard storm was 
raging. 

We dogs, that lay so comfortably huddled in 
the kennel, were congratulating ourselves that 
Sagastao would not take us out of our warm 
nests that day. But something worse was to 
happen. While we were having an early morn- 
ing nap, our kennel was thrown open, and almost 
before we knew what was the matter, we were 
all unceremoniously hauled out, and quickly har- 
nessed up in a set of strong old working harness 
without a single bell upon it. Then we were 
speedily fastened to a heavy oak fish sled. 

Two of the powerful old dog-trains were 
already harnessed and, like their drivers, were 
impatient to be off, as the cold was so intense. 

Tom Grieve, the famous guide, had us in charge, 
and from the beginning it was evident that some- 
thing more than usual was cut out for us. 


Ambition and Jealousy 1 1 3 

Tom had a stern way with him, and a terrible 
voice. As our train, with the other two in the 
lead, dashed away, we soon found out that heavy 
work was to be ours for that day at least. 

Tom had a great whip with a lash about fifteen 
feet long. As in his experienced hand it curled 
out, the explosion of it cracked like the report of 
a gun, and sounded at times as within an inch of 
our ears, while his great voice would make us 
jump and kept us alert and well up to our work. 

In two hours we crossed the twenty miles of 
icy trail that stretched between our kennels and 
the place where, on high stagings above the reach 
of wolves and other wild animals, was cached 
away, the mission’s supply of frozen white fish. 

We were only allowed to rest while the drivers 
were busily employed in taking down and securely 
fastening the loads of fish which were strung in 
sticks of ten, on our sleds. 

The Indians then, after lighting their pipes, 
shouted : “ Marche ! ” to each of the trains, and 
the journey home was begun. 

The loads were very heavy, but no mercy was 
shown us. 

At the least sign of flagging, the stern: 
“ Marche ! Marche ! ” rang out from Tom, while 
that long whip curled dangerously near, ever 
ending with its ominous crack. 

In three hours we were obliged to make the 


1 14 Hector, My Dog 

twenty miles with our heavily loaded sleds. 
When hot and panting, we drew up in the mission 
yard, the master met us, and after looking us 
over, said enquiringly to Tom : 

“ Well, do you think they will feel like fighting 
now?” 

But I w r as only a dog, and did not understand 
his questions then, and my comrades were just as 
big fools as I was. 

Tom’s answer was equally puzzling to us four 
dogs then, but we found out its meaning later 
on. 

His reply to the master was something like 
this : 

“ They are high-spirited dogs, but foolish, and 
so they will require some hard work and perhaps 
a good deal of it, before they learn what all 
working dogs get into their heads sooner or 
later, that dogs that have to work together, must 
not waste their strength in fighting with each 
other.” 

This last sentence of Tom’s is one of the wisest 
of dog-proverbs. Although up to that time I 
had never heard it, yet it struck me so much, 
that I could easily repeat it, but it was some 
time before either Billy, Boxer, or Buster, or my- 
self grasped its meaning. 

“ How long do you think,” asked the master, 
u will it take them to learn their lesson ? ” 


Ambition and Jealousy 115 

“ A week or ten days,” replied Tom, “ of real 
hard work ought to be enough, if they have or- 
dinary dog-sense, to show them the folly of 
wasting their strength by fighting with each 
other.” 

But we were then still sadly destitute of that 
dog-sense of which Tom spoke, and showed our 
lack of it that very day. 

“ Shall we go back with them for another load 
of fish to-day ? ” asked Tom. 

“ No ! No ! ” said the master. “ Forty miles 
travel is enough for the first day, especially 
as twenty of it were with such heavy loads. 
Turn them loose in their kennels, they are surely 
too tired to fight much to-day.” 

We were four very well-pleased dogs when we 
heard these words of our kind master, and so 
after a good roll in the dry, crisp snow, we soon 
cuddled down in the hay in our kennels and went 
to sleep. 

Some time later in the day, we were suddenly 
aroused by what we four dogs thought was the 
call for supper, and so we dashed out in a hurry, 
for the long, heavy trip of the forenoon had 
given us keen appetites. 

Our disgust at finding that it was a false alarm 
quite annoyed us, and put us in bad humor, and 
so when we all at once attempted to reenter the 
warm kennel, a row immediately began, as each 


n6 Hector, My Dog 

one of us wanted to get in first, and so be the 
farthest away from the cold, open door. 

The long journey, and our disappointment 
about our supper had made us cross and irritable, 
and so before we hardly knew how it happened, 
we found ourselves pitching into each other with 
teeth and claws at a great rate. 

The fight was so fast and furious, that Tom 
and Kennedy, followed by the master, and even 
little Sagastao, were soon at the kennel. With 
kicks and cuffs we were soon separated and sent 
off in different directions in disgrace. 

What hurt me most was that my little master 
should have seen me in such a fight, and that as 
I passed him he had not one cheery word for 
me, and his troubled face told me that he was 
hurt and grieved at my conduct. 

The master and the men gave us a thorough 
overhauling, and were pleased to see that none 
of us were seriously injured. 

Then they talked over their plans, and how 
they should be carried out, to cure us of our 
jealousy and quarrelings. 

“ My advice,” said Tom, “ is that they be made 
to sleep out in the snow to-night without any 
supper, and then started off very early in the 
morning, and compelled to make two journeys 
to the fisheries.” 

Fortunately for us, no one agreed to these 


Ambition and Jealousy 117 

stern measures: not even Kennedy. The little 
master was indignant at the idea, and appealing 
to his father, who was pondering over the matter, 
said that it would be a shame to treat his train 
so cruelly. Then he added something about what 
he and Minnehaha had been reading in one of 
their little books about “ dogs delight to bark 
and bite, for it was their nature too.” 

This appeal conquered, and so, although we 
were ashamed and humiliated, we four dogs were 
allowed to return to our kennel, and in due time, 
much to our delight, our supper of well- warmed 
white fish was brought to us. 

The next morning, while the stars were still 
shining, we were aroused by men’s voices, and 
much to our discomfort and disgust, we were 
speedily brought out of our kennel by Tom, and 
harnessed up in that same old sled, and, with 
other trains, were again started off on that trail 
that led to the distant fisheries. 

We had started so early that the sun only rose 
when we were at the end of our journey. 

The sleds were speedily loaded, and with 
our faces towards home, we were driven by 
the loud-voiced Tom, who showed us little 
mercy. 

There is this to be said in justice to Tom, that 
with all his noisy ways and almost constant 
flourish of his great whip, but few dogs ever felt 


n8 Hector, My Dog 

its sting, and those who did, never, until they 
richly deserved it. 

We were allowed about an hour’s rest at the 
mission while the drivers had their dinners, and 
then with fresh dogs in the other trains, we were 
started off again over the icy route that led to 
the fisheries. 

No lagging along the route was allowed. Our 
loads were speedily fastened on our sleds, and 
then again we were quickly started off on those 
now weary twenty miles. 

The dogs in the other trains being fresh, did 
not so mind it, but Billy, Boxer, Buster and myself, 
were about tired out, when we dragged our loads 
into the yard. 

As Tom pulled the collars over our heads, and 
gave each of us a pelt with our harness to hurry 
our laggard movements to our kennel, he said : 

“ Now, go and see if you will fight with each 
other to-day.” 

Not much. So tired and weary were we, that 
any place in that kennel was welcome. We just 
dropped down, and were soon so sound asleep, 
that when the call for supper came, we did not 
hear or heed it, and so had to be driven out of 
our warm nests to go and eat it. 

Our little master came out and petted us, and 
said that he was so sorry that we were so quarrel- 
some, and that in such a severe way we had to be 


Ambition and Jealousy 119 

taught that if we four dogs were ever to make a 
good first-class train, we must not waste our 
strength by quarreling with each other. 

Still we were such stupid dogs that we did not 
yet understand. 

“Do you think they have yet learned their 
lesson ? ” asked the master. 

“No, indeed,” said the experienced Tom. 
“ Such spirited dogs as they will take a lot more 
of hard work together before they will learn 
their lesson.” 

“ My advice is, to give them two more trips 
to-morrow and the next day also.” To this pro- 
gramme, which seemed to be so cruel, the master 
decidedly objected. 

“ All right ! ” said Tom, who was always loyal 
to the master’s wish. “ But I am afraid that if 
you give them a good rest, it will be seen that 
what has been done has accomplished nothing.” 

We dogs richly enjoyed the rest, and during 
the night and the next forenoon, were the best of 
friends. How the row or fight began, I am not 
very sure. I think it was Koona’s coming in and 
strutting around as though he owned us all. 

Now Koona was, as I learned soon after, a great 
coward, and would run from any dog that bravely 
faced him. But he was a great braggart, and a 
thorough mischief maker. Nothing pleased him 
better than to get other dogs fighting, but he 


120 


Hector, My Dog 

took good care to save his own skin by keeping 
out of the row he himself had started. 

Somehow, he had heard from the other dogs, 
for dogs have a language among themselves as 
well as other animals, about the rows and battles 
in our kennel between Buster, Billy, and Boxer, 
and myself. So he came around that afternoon 
to see us, and as we were still young dogs, he was 
very saucy and cheeky, as he generally was with 
youngsters. 

I had never been friendly with him since the 
day he had pitched into me because I had sup- 
planted him in the place in the kitchen, from 
which he had been kicked out for his general wick- 
edness and thieving. Yet I felt kindly towards 
him for his warning words that put me on my 
guard against incurring the anger and jealousy 
of Jack. 

Anyway here he was, and as we four dogs had 
had a good sleep and rest since our hard work, 
we had about recovered from our tired feeling, 
and were just the young fools to be each flat- 
tered by Koona into the idea that we could thrash 
any other dog in the kennel. 

So at it we went in grand style, and soon there 
was the queerest mix-up imaginable, as it was 
each dog for himself, against all comers. 

Koona stood in the door and howled in rare 
delight, and thus encouraged us on. His crisp 


Ambition and Jealousy 12 1 

little “Yep! Yeps,” were the calls to each one 
of us to go in for victory, and with all the vim 
imaginable, we were each doing our very best. 

Abrupt, inglorious, and unconclusive did the 
end of the battle come. 

It seems that Tom, the guide who had been 
given charge of this work of putting a stop to 
our quarreling, had seen Koona skulking around, 
and well knowing some of his habits, had been 
on the alert. 

However, as things were quiet around the ken- 
nel, he had gone over to have a chat with Ken- 
nedy, when the noise of battle brought him and 
Kennedy out in a hurry. 

Koona, who was generally so cunning that he 
was not easily caught in his mischief, was here so 
absorbed in urging us dogs on in the fight, that he 
did not hear the moccasin-footed Indians behind 
him, and so he was cleverly caught by Tom in 
the door of the kennel. He then and there re- 
ceived such a thrashing that his saucy “ yeps ” 
were changed into the most doleful howlings. 

Kennedy in the meantime had thrashed us 
fighting dogs apart, and then he went and told 
the master. This tattling on us was about the 
meanest thing I ever knew Kennedy do. 

The master came out and looked us over, and 
then said to Tom, whom he generally called by 
his second name : 


122 


Hector, My Dog 

“ Grieve, I know you will not injure them, but 
do what you think best to put a stop to this 
wretched quarreling.” 

That evening we had but one fish apiece for 
our suppers, and on the next day, and the next, 
and even the next, we had to make two journeys 
for fish to the distant fisheries. 

I have dogmatized enough about this experience 
in my life, and so need say but little more, ex- 
cept that those dreadful three days of work made 
us so tired, that when at the close of the last day, 
Billy, Boxer, Buster and I lay there in the ken- 
nel, with our four noses close together, in our 
dog-language we talked it over, and as the result 
of our united dog-sense, we came to understand 
that if we had to work together, it would be best 
for us to save all our strength and energy, and 
not waste it in fierce battles with each other. 

From that day we lived in peace with each 
other, and were ever ready to help each other. 

Thus, by bitter experience, we learned our les- 
son and never afterwards forgot it, “ That dogs 
that work together should never quarrel with 
each other.” 


X 


CHRISTMAS WEEK 

O UR master was quick to notice that we 
had learned our lesson. It pleased him, 
for he was full of kindness, and it hurt 
him when, even for our good, any of his dogs had 
to be dealt sternly with. So now, while recog- 
nized as the special train of Sagastao, we were 
often employed in various kinds of light work, 
for our master believed that every able-bodied, 
healthy dog should at least earn his own white 
fish. 

Sagastao, our little master, was delighted when 
Tom grimly told him that while we four dogs 
would likely ever be ready for a battle with out- 
siders, it was not likely that we would quarrel 
again with each other. With Alec, as our driver, 
Sagastao, and his little sister, and even sometimes 
the mother, in the beautiful new cariole, we were 
often driven over the different icy trails that led 
from the Indian village to the various different 
hunting grounds which lay in different directions. 

When the hunters came in frequently with their 
furs, or for supplies, the trails were well beaten, 
and it was a pleasure to run along them, even if 
the cold was intense. 


123 


124 


Hector, My Dog 

But the happy inmates of the cariole, well 
wrapped up in their beautiful fur robes, cared but 
little for the cold, and only laughed the more 
merrily, when on some winding place in the 
woods, we had a complete upset, or even struck 
heavily against a tree. 

At times, when our route was over some great 
lake, they had to guard their eyes from being at- 
tacked by snow-blindness, which is caused by the 
brilliant reflection of the sun’s rays from the 
spotless snowy expanse that stretched away to 
the distant horizon. 

When the good mistress was taken on these ex- 
cursions, I noticed that often heavy bundles were 
put in the cariole with her, and then we were gen- 
erally driven by Alec to some far away Indian 
wigwams, into which our mistress entered, while 
Alec quickly followed with one or more of the 
bundles. And sometimes while we dogs waited, 
there came out the sounds of singing, and we had 
no trouble in recognizing that the principal voice 
was that of our mistress. 

At first, we dogs, in our youthful ignorance, 
knew not what it meant, but in after years it 
came to us that in those days, our mistress was 
singing those sweet songs to comfort some poor 
dying old Indian, and for whose comfort the bun- 
dles of food and warm clothing had been brought. 

The face of our good mistress was generally 


Christmas Week 


125 


bright, and her voice cheery, as she greeted us so 
kindly with a loving word for each one of us. 
But there were times when, as she came out of 
those cold birch bark wigwams, our noisy glad- 
ness for her return was hushed, for the sweet face 
was clouded and the eyes were full of tears. And 
when at times there was weeping from one whose 
face was generally so bright and sunny, great in- 
deed was our perplexity and amazement. 

At first, as we saw the dear mistress thus weep- 
ing as she came out of some lonely wigwam, we 
dogs were full of indignation, and our blood was 
up, and we were eager to fight for her against 
any one that had thus hurt or grieved one we 
knew to be one of our truest friends. 

Then, after a time, the truth came, and it was 
to us poor dogs a great mystery, over which, in 
our dog way, we pondered, that the tears of our 
mistress were those of sorrow for poor sick In- 
dians, who were in pain and suffering. 

From this, we also discovered that all the 
trouble and pain and suffering in this world were 
not the sole heritage of dogs. 

This revelation of troubles and sorrows came as 
a great surprise, and also the fact that our mis- 
tress, when she herself was well, did so sympa- 
thize with, and even weep for the poor sick Indians 
in their cold wigwams. 

Later on, we may have more to tell about this 


126 


Hector, My Dog 

great mystery of suffering and death which is the 
common lot of men as well as dogs. 

Perhaps the pleasantest of all the weeks, as 
well as the busiest, was the one which Sagastao 
and Minnehaha called “ The Christmas week.” 

A few days before, some heavily loaded sleds 
had arrived from a far-away place, called Fort 
Garry. During the few visits which I was again 
allowed to make into the kitchen, I found every- 
body busy, and even old Mary in good humor. 

“ Christmas ! Christmas ! Christmas ! ” seemed 
to be the word I most frequently heard. 

The contents of the big bundles which had ar- 
rived by the dog-trains from the south, were now 
being made up into smaller parcels, amidst the 
merriment and delight of the little children. 

I think I must have heard mentioned by them 
the names of every sick old man or woman, 
and also of all the children in the Indian village, 
and also of those who lived up the rivers for 
twenty miles away. Then when the Christmas 
week really came, it seemed that we dogs had our 
harness on almost every hour from daylight to 
dark. 

But busy as we were, Billy, Boxer, Buster and 
I voted that as we were remembered with so 
many additional dainties to our usual supper of 
white fish, we would be glad if Christmas week 
came more frequently. 


Christmas Week 


127 

It was a very cold week, yet no one seemed to 
think of that. The two children had things 
about their own way that week, and the number of 
times that Alec took them in their cariole, rapidly 
drawn by us four dogs, and packed around with 
bundles, from wigwam to wigwam, and home to 
home, we happy dogs could not begin to tell. 

With the gifts of these bundles, the people 
were made happy, and when the day, which 
they call “ Christmas,” really arrived, everybody 
seemed to be saying : “ Wish you a merry 

Christmas.” 

We dogs of the master were not forgotten, for 
that day he bought from a successful Indian 
hunter, a whole reindeer, and divided the whole 
of the venison among us. And this was given 
in addition to our usual supper of white fish. 

And now I want to record the story of the 
narrow escape of Sagastao, my little master, from 
a terrible great northern wolf, that made most des- 
perate attempts to kill him. 

The happy Christmas times were over, and all 
the people had settled down to their usual work. 
The scores of hunters who had come in from their 
distant hunting-grounds for the Christmas gath- 
erings, had nearly all returned. The master was 
thinking of soon taking another of his long jour- 
neys to some Indian village hundreds of miles 
away. 


128 


Hector, My Dog 

So nearly all of the dog-trains were kept hard 
at work hauling home wood and fish. 

The wood, as I have already referred to, was 
cut into the proper lengths by the Indian chop- 
pers, and then dragged home on the heavy dog- 
sleds along a specially prepared trail made 
through the deep snow, and leading directly 
into the mission yard. 

After a few trips under the guidance of the 
drivers were made, we dogs soon became so 
expert at the work of hauling home the loaded 
sleds, and then returning with the empty ones, 
that we were often left to do the work without 
being accompanied by our drivers. 

Thus we worked for days and days, until great 
piles of wood were gathered. Sometimes the 
little master, Sagastao, took charge of his own 
train, of which I was now the leader dog, with 
Billy, Boxer and Buster in line behind me. Alec 
was often with us, but sometimes he was needed 
with his axe to help the men in the woods. 

Of course the plucky little fellow always rode 
on his sled whether it was empty or loaded, and 
nearly always in company with another train 
that was attended by one of the drivers. Only 
a small load was tied on the sled of Sagastao, and 
it was made so flat, and tied on so securely with 
deerskin thongs, that he could easily keep himself 
from falling off. 



"THE LARGEST WOLF I EVER SAW . . . CAME JUMPING STRAIGHT FOR 

OUR LITTLE MASTER” 




















Christmas Week 


129 


For several days, when the weather was not 
too bitterly cold, he thus went backwards and 
forwards, but always, when Alec was not 
along, in company with some other of the 
men. 

After a while he became so expert at the 
work, that when his sled had been turned around 
in the woods and loaded sufficiently, he would 
jump on, and not waiting until the next sled was 
ready, would shout out his cheery “ Marche ! ” 
to us, and away we dogs would start for the 
mission, two or three miles away. 

One forenoon we had thus started off alone 
ahead of the other trains. We had hardly got 
out of the sight of the Indian wood-choppers, 
when the largest wolf I ever saw dashed out of 
the forest, not very far from the trail, and with 
what sounded like a snarl of triumph, came jump- 
ing straight for our little master. 

It was a good thing for him that the snow was 
there very deep, and so the wolf could not spring 
in it with the same speed that he could have 
made on hard ground. 

It was well that all four of us dogs had noticed 
him the moment he emerged from the forest, and 
without an instant’s delay, with yelps, or rather 
cries of terror, had suddenly started off on what 
was the maddest and perhaps the swiftest run of 
our lives. 


130 


Hector, My Dog 

To confess the truth, and it was well for us and 
our brave little master here, we dogs are terribly 
afraid of those great northern gray wolves. 

While we are ever ready and eager to attack 
the black bears, we are in fearful terror of the 
sharp teeth of those fierce savage wolves. 

It was well for our little master that he was 
gripping, tightly and firmly, the strong deerskin 
thongs that tied on his load of wood. If he had 
fallen off, he would very quickly have been killed 
and mangled, if not devoured, by that fierce 
savage creature that in all probability was wild 
with hunger. 

The suddenness with which we dogs sprang 
forward, caused the wolf, floundering in the deep 
snow, to miss his last spring, which was to have 
enabled him to have pounced upon the boy. 
With a snarl of rage he came galloping on in the 
narrow icy trail close behind the sled, still deter- 
mined to get the lad. Fortunately for us, the 
load of wood on the sled was light, and consisted 
of pieces of small round poplars about sixteen 
feet long. These long sticks practically filling 
the trail, kept the wolf that far behind, and as 
Sagastao was seated near the front of the load, 
it was impossible for the wolf to spring upon him 
while we dogs were dashing along at such a rate. 

When the wolf found that he was not likely to 
succeed in his way, he sprang into the deep snow 


Christmas Week 


I3i 

at the side of the trail, and made the most des- 
perate efforts to get alongside of the boy to there 
seize him. 

But even a great gaunt wolf found it hard to 
travel faster in three or four feet of light dry 
snow, than we four frightened dogs were run- 
ning terrified as we were by his presence and 
snarls. Yet, although we had the advantage of 
the beaten narrow trail, it did seem to us that 
several times, to judge by the snappings of his 
teeth and the snarls, that he was running along- 
side of our brave driver, but such was the abun- 
dance and nature of the snow, that he did not 
once get a footing from which he could success- 
fully make his deadly spring. 

And all this time, how fared it with our little 
master, and what did he think of his perilous 
position ? 

At the beginning of the race, as we dogs first 
caught sight of the great wolf, and sprang for- 
ward in the trail, we were delighted to soon hear 
the cheery voice of the lad shout out to us : 

“ Marche ! Marche ! my good doggies, and 
let us run a race with this big gray dog.” 

As our running became so rapid, and the race 
we knew was one for life, Sagastao, unconscious 
of any danger, but the risk of falling off, threw 
himself forward on the sled, and there stretched 
out, hung on to the straps of deerskin that were 


132 


Hector, My Dog 

holding: on his load. We several times heard 

o 

him speak to the wolf in bantering tones, that 
was making such desperate efforts to reach him. 
Then we would hear him calling to us again: 
“ Marche ! Marche ! good doggies, we will surely 
win this race.” 

While the brave, cheery words of our master 
were so welcome to us, we were terrified by the 
snarls of the wolf who, thus far baffled in his ef- 
forts to get his prey, was becoming more and 
more furious. Several times we could tell by 
the weight that he had sprung on the sled, but 
the round like poles and the swinging motion, 
gave him no footing, and he soon tumbled off. 

Then again he would renew his tactics of try- 
ing to reach the boy by plunging through the 
snow on one side of the trail or the other. When 
he did succeed in getting near him, he seemed de- 
terred from seizing him, by the shouts and calls, 
which were about equally distributed between 
the wolf and us. 

This wild fierce race was fortunately not a 
very long one. We were pleased indeed when 
we emerged from the forest, and saw the houses 
in the distance, as we supposed that the wolf 
would there leave us. To our horror, the wolf, 
instead of giving up and skulking off, continued 
to make the most desperate efforts to get the boy. 

What made it worse for us, was the fact that 


Christmas Week 


133 


soon the trail would widen out, and thus give 
the wolf a better chance to succeed than he had 
had in the deep snow. 

But the sight of the home and the prospect of 
winning the race, very much excited our little 
master, who had been so plucky from the begin- 
ning, and fortunately had no idea of the terrible 
danger he was in. 

So only imagining that it was an exciting race, 
and the end so near, he redoubled his taunts to 
the wolf, and his cheers to us the dogs. 

And thus, with this fierce wolf not ten feet be- 
hind us, we dashed up to the door of the mission 
house. 

To our great delight, the master, who had 
heard us coming, immediately appeared. But 
ere gun or rifle could be secured, or even any 
person had any idea of his presence, the great 
wolf had turned and fled into the forest. 

Full of excitement, the delighted boy began 
telling the story of the great race to his father. 

To him, as yet, that fierce wolf was only a great 
savage, ugly dog. With flashing eyes and eager 
voice, he told how the animal had run aside his 
sled, making great jumps in the deep snow, and 
that when two or three times he had succeeded 
in getting up quite near him, he had gnashed his 
big teeth at him. And then he had jumped a 
few times on the sled, but soon tumbled off. 


134 


Hector, My Dog 

“My !” said he, “but that big gray dog was 
mad when I made fun of him, and laughed in his 
face. But we beat him, and I tell you Billy and 
Boxer and Buster and Hector are boss dogs, and 
no mistake.” 

And of course we dogs that had done our best, 
were pleased to hear our little master speak so 
well of us. 

Here, however, there was a sudden change. 
For while the boy was earnestly continuing to talk 
about the great race, not only to his father, but 
also to his mother and little sister, who had now 
come out of the house, we saw the Indian drivers, 
without the dogs, but armed with axes, coming 
towards us as hard as they could run in the trail. 
It seemed that a few minutes after our train had 
left, one of them following us, soon detected the 
tracks of the wolf. Being unarmed, he rushed 
back as rapidly as possible and gave the alarm. 
At once, with their axes as weapons, they all 
came on as hard as they could run, filled with 
fear, lest they should come upon the little lad be- 
ing devoured by the great wolf. 

As they hurried along, noticing with their 
keen eyes, as experienced hunters, the desperate 
attempts the wolf had made, great indeed was 
their anxiety. And now, equally great was 
their joy as they saw the lad alive and un- 
harmed. 


Christmas Week 


135 


The excitement was of course very great when 
the story was told, and it was realized how great 
had been the danger, and how narrow the escape, 
of Sagastao from the fierce gray wolf. 

The fact that the wolf had come into the yard 
and close to the door of the house, the Indians 
said, was because he was wild with hunger, and 
doubly dangerous. 

When Sagastao now heard that what he thought 
was only a big ugly gray dog was a wild fierce 
wolf, he became very much excited, and not hav- 
ing seen what had become of the brute, he thought 
he might still be around and would yet hurt some- 
body. And so, as his little sister Minnehaha was 
still standing near, before any one could interfere 
with him, he quickly grabbed her up and threw 
the little four year old child into the dirty fish 
house, and slammed to the big door in her face, 
much to her disgust and indignation. 

That night, we dogs were all securely fastened 
up in our kennels, for the wise Indians said that 
that wolf that had come so near getting the little 
boy, would come back that very night and skulk 
around in hopes of finding him. And if he could 
not succeed, he would likely make his supper out 
of one of the many dogs that were around. 

Later in the day, the mission house was visited 
by some palefaces from afar, who were friends of 
our master and his family. 


136 Hector, My Dog 

When they heard the story of the narrow es- 
cape of our little master from the great wolf, they 
were very much interested. They also said that 
what the old Indian hunters had said about that 
wolf likely coming in the night for the lad, was 
correct. But when he comes he must do no 
harm, and also he must never return to his haunts 
again. So baits with deadly poison in were placed 
in various trails while all dogs were carefully shut 
in or tied up. 

In the morning, an Indian who had arisen 
early, came to the house with the word that the 
great wolf lay dead in the trail. 

Soon after, Billy, Boxer, Buster and myself 
were harnessed up, and with some Indians we 
went out and dragged in the cold dead body of 
that great wolf that had made such desperate 
efforts to make a meal out of my little master. 

For long years the skin of that wolf made a 
very fine rug on the floor of the master’s study. 


XI 


WOLF STORIES 

T HE story of the narrow escape of the 
little master from the great wolf caused 
great excitement among both dogs and 
Indians. Sagastao was of course the greatest 
hero, for the way in which he had so pluckily held 
onto the sled, and cheered on his dogs to victory. 

Next to him, they gave to me, Hector, the 
leader of the train, great praise for the way in 
which I had so quickly detected the presence of 
the wolf, and had so suddenly dashed away with 
my companion dogs, ere the wolf, floundering in 
the deep snow, could reach our plucky little driver. 

Great praise, well deserved, was also given to 
Billy, Boxer and Buster. For if they had not 
been clever dogs, and seen as I had, the great 
danger, we never could have succeeded. 

All the members of the family, including even 
old Mary, made a great fuss over us, and gave us 
many a dainty morsel to eat, as well as saying 
kindly words. 

Many were the dog talks in our own language 
which we had about it, for all were deeply inter- 
ested. Even dignified Jack and beautiful Cuffy, 
i37 


138 Hector, My Dog 

when they heard about the affair, came to our 
kennel, and to them, 1 had to tell the whole story. 

Koona, of course, was jealous, and tried to be- 
little the whole thing. Even when I was telling 
the story to Jack and Cuffy and some other dogs, 
he had to interrupt with some of his sarcastic re- 
marks. For a time no dog seemed to notice him ; 
as I went on with my narrative, Koona threw 
out some slighting remark about what I had 
done, and pertly declared that if he had been in 
my place, he would have attacked that wolf, in- 
stead of running away from him. 

This impertinence on the part of Koona, who 
was known to be a coward, could be stood no 
longer, and so Jack, who had lost all patience 
with him, said to me : 

“ Hector ! throw that dog out of your kennel, 
or I will have to do it myself.” 

Up to this time, as I have said elsewhere, Koona 
had by his cheeky ways, tyrannized over us 
younger dogs. But when I heard Jack thus show 
his annoyance at this reflection on my courage or 
judgment, I suddenly sprang upon the saucy in- 
terrupter, and found no trouble in giving him a 
good thrashing, and then in driving him out of 
our kennel. 

From that time on, Koona treated me with 
civility and respect. 

When all the other dogs, that had not been 


Wolf Stories 


139 


present heard of the visit of the aristocratic Jack 
and Cuffy to the kennel of Billy, Boxer, Buster 
and myself, they were now most anxious to pay 
their respects to this train of dogs, now so much 
honored. 

The result was, our kennel, which was not one 
of the largest, was often uncomfortably crowded. 

Dear old Rover, who was most anxious to hear, 
and yet not neglect his duties as dog doctor, 
made us all grin as near into laughter as it is 
possible for dogs to laugh, by his crowding in, 
dragging a big pup some months old, that had 
an ugly cut on his neck. 

Rover had just discovered the wound, and 
knowing that it was his duty to dress it, and yet 
anxious to hear about the race with the wolf, re- 
solved that while not neglecting his work, he 
would also hear what was to be said. So in he 
came dragging his patient with him. And there, 
just before me, he sat industrious^ dressing the 
wound with his tongue, while listening to my 
yarn. 

Koona, whom no rebuff could suppress, was of 
course on hand, while even old Voyageur, the 
glum and solitary dog, hovered round the door, 
much interested in my story, especially when he 
heard that I had been the leader of the train. 

Being a hero, even among dogs, becomes a 
nuisance after a time, and I got tired of having 


140 Hector, My Dog 

to tell the story over so frequently. For, every 
time any of the trains that had been away, re- 
turned to the mission, they of course wanted full 
particulars, and with them would crowd into the 
kennel, dogs that had heard the narrative over 
and over again. 

Generally they had all listened in silence as I 
repeated the story, but after a time, some of 
those dogs that had been present on several 
occasions, now began to have some remarks to 
make. 

One day, Nelson, a quiet dog generally, spoke 
up and said : 

“When you described some of the desperate 
springs which the wolf made in the snow, in his 
efforts to reach Sagastao, I could not help think- 
ing of the time when a great wolf, that pretended 
to be dead, sprang at me, and robbed me of part 
of my tail.” 

“ Ho ! Ho ! ” yelped out Koona. “ That was 
the way you lost it, was it ? You might have 
given us the particulars much sooner.” 

Fierce growls of annoyance from several dogs 
at Koona’s saucy interference and his imperti- 
nence to Nelson, who was a great favorite, so 
frightened the rascal, that he sprang for the 
door, and escaped just in time to escape a 
shaking. 

Nelson’s reference to some as yet unrelated 


Wolf Stories 


141 


conflict with a wolf, quite interested a number 
of the dogs. And the very fact of his having 
said what little he did, unloosed the tongues of 
some of the other dogs about whom rumors were 
afloat that if they were not so modest and shy, 
they could tell some thrilling stories. 

Grand old Black was one of these. He had a 
great scar on the side of his head about which he 
had been often questioned. But like Nelson, 
with the short tail, he had been silent. How- 
ever, as Nelson had spoken, and they were of the 
same train, it was now evident that it would not 
take much persuasion to get from him the story 
of his adventure with the wolves. 

And now there was a lot of noise and confu- 
sion in our crowded kennel. 

Some of the dogs that had just returned home, 
wanted to hear my story, while others that had 
heard it over and over again, began calling for 
Nelson, while others were equally noisy in their 
dog-calls for Black. 

In the midst of the confusion, for of course I 
could not go on with my story, the master with 
Jack and Cuffy happened to be passing the ken- 
nel. Hearing the din and noise inside, and per- 
haps thinking that he might be of use in restor- 
ing quiet, if it were necessary, Jack looked in, 
about filling up the door with his great size. 
The darkened door, and Jack’s great eyes glower- 


142 


Hector, My Dog 

ing at the noisy dogs, instantly restored order, 
without even a growl being heard. 

Turning to Rover, whom he greatly respected, 
and who had long finished his work with the 
wounded pup, Jack asked the cause of all the 
confusion. 

When it was explained to him, he was asked 
for his decision, which all knew would be final. 

“ Let Hector continue his story to the end for 
the information of those dogs that have not heard 
him. The fact that they were away on the 
master’s work is no reason why they should be 
deprived of the privilege of a story of which we 
are all so proud. 

“Let a council be called in a place large 
enough for all to assemble, and there in a decent 
way, without any of this confusion, let each dog 
that has something to say of personal experience 
of battles or conflicts with wolves, have an op- 
portunity to tell his story.” 

This dignified address of Jack’s, given in his 
measured, stately style, met with the heartiest 
approval. And then each dog vied with his 
fellows by his barks, or yelps, or even howls, to 
show his delight. 

Here, our master now appeared, and after 
looking us over and getting some vague idea of 
how things were, laughingly said : 

“You dogs to-day seem about as noisy and un- 


Wolf Stories 


143 

mannerly as a town council or a parson’s con- 
ference.” 

Cuffy also now looked in, and seeing lordly 
Jack in the midst of this apparently discordant 
crowd, she curled up her aristocratic lips. 

“ Disgusting ! ” she said. 

Then, marching up to Jack, she seized one of 
his great pendant ears in her teeth, and led him 
out of the place. 

A day or two later, the council was adver- 
tised, although the time of its meeting was quite 
uncertain. A deputation of dogs waited upon 
Jack, and asked him to accept the position of 
chairman, to which he graciously agreed. Dear 
old Muff was appointed secretary. She well 
deserved this honor, as once, during a whole 
night, she had kept off a number of wolves from 
a cache which had been left in her charge by 
her master, when they were on a long journey. 

Intimations were at once sent out, and notices 
posted up at different kennels by Muff, the secre- 
tary, that each and every dog that in his, or her 
life, had met with any exciting or thrilling ad- 
venture with a wolf or wolves, was or were 
earnestly requested to begin rehearsing to himself 
or herself the narrative or story, so as to be ready 
when called upon to relate it at the coming coun- 
cil, the meeting of which would be fully an- 
nounced in due time, in such an interesting 


144 


Hector, My Dog 

manner, that it would meet with the approval 
of the noble chairman, and the approbation of 
the audience. 

These notices caused great excitement. The 
fact that Jack was to preside, meant that the 
council would be sedate and orderly. 

Curiosity was at once aroused to know what 
dogs there were, in addition to Nelson and Black, 
that had had adventures with wolves, of suf- 
ficiently thrilling interest to narrate before such 
a council. 

All sorts of rumors were soon afloat among the 
kennels, and it did seem at first as though the 
majority of the dogs had had some bloodcurdling 
adventures and experiences. 

However, as these were trotted out and inves- 
tigated, it was found that very few of them 
amounted to much. 

Some dogs that at first honestly thought that 
they did have sufficient to make up a good story, 
when it was sifted down, they saw that to get it 
before such a council, would only expose them- 
selves to ridicule and laughter. 

Koona, the irrepressible, thought that here was 
a chance for him to win distinction by a little 
brazen effrontery and any amount of lying. So 
he rehearsed to a choice few of the dogs whom 
he thought he could trust, a marvelous story of 
how in the gloom of a wintry night, when he was 


Wolf Stories 


145 


out walking on the trail, that led several miles 
from the mission into the lonely forest, he sud- 
denly heard a great wolf crunching the bones of 
an Indian or a dog, which he had seized, and was 
devouring. 

Full of courage and sympathy for the man, or 
dog, that was being eaten, Koona said that he at 
once rushed forward and attacked that wolf, 
alone though he was. 

The great wolf, thus suddenly assailed, was so 
terrified that, while Koona was about to strangle 
him, he managed to so vigorously howl out his 
wolf call, that a whole pack of his comrades at 
once responded, and, “ as they were near at hand,*’ 
said Koona, “ I was obliged to leave off strangling 
that wolf, and slowly return to the kennels.” 

Old Rover, who had heard this most marvelous 
yarn of Koona’s, fairly grinned out loud. 

Indeed, it was such a comical, laughable grin 
for dear old Rover to emit, that at once the curi- 
osity of the dogs was excited to such a degree 
that they all turned to him, and with their “bow- 
wows ” and those of a number of other dogs that 
had joined them, they clamored for an explana- 
tion. 

Koona, however, did not join them. He knew 
that Rover was the one dog that could give the 
correct account of this so-called terrific encounter 
with the wolf. 


146 Hector, My Dog 

Rover was not only good-natured, but easily 
persuaded, and so now as the dogs in large num- 
bers gathered around him and be was about to 
begin his version of the story, Koona, who had 
presumed that the good-natured fellow would 
have held his tongue, now saw that if he persisted 
in telling it, it would cover him with ridicule, lost 
his temper, and sprang at Rover, and tried to 
frighten him into silence. 

This of course was the most foolish thing that 
Koona could have done. 

Not one of us dogs there gathered, and who 
had listened to Koona, had believed a word of his 
yarn. But we had all been amused with his 
cheek and assurance. 

Then what angered us was, that he dared be- 
fore us all, to so savagely assail the dog that knew 
the facts. And that dog dear old Rover, our 
doctor, whom we all respected and who had ren- 
dered valuable service to many in that crowd. 

Well, the rascal was stopped speedily, and 
promptly taken care of. 

Old Blucher, who had been for years one of the 
same train as Rover, and was the fighter of that 
train of four dogs, was assigned to the work of 
giving Koona the dressing down he merited. 
Well and thoroughly was the work done, and yet 
without injuring him, for that would have in- 
curred the anger and intervention of the master. 


Wolf Stories 


147 

So disorganized and humiliated was Koona 
when Blucher was through with him, that he 
tried to sneak away out of the crowd. But the 
dogs, still indignant at his treatment of Kover, 
would not allow this. 

As we dogs had heard our masters, the menfolks, 
talk about sitting down on one of their number 
whom they wished to punish for some conceit or 
folly, so here it was decided that Koona was to be 
sat upon, while Rover told us his version of this 
wolf story, in which Koona, in his own estima- 
tion, had won such great distinction. 

So, in rough sport, two or three of the big 
dogs speedily tumbled Koona over, and literally 
sat down upon him. The seat of honor, it was 
evident, was the head. 

Rover at first seemed troubled, and loth to be- 
gin. But the cheery barking applause of his 
comrades, who all respected him for his worth 
and transparent honesty, as even seen in this 
story, encouraged him, and he began : 

“ I must commence,” he said, “ by confessing 
my faults, especially the one that led me out that 
night on the trail into the woods. 

“ My master, who has always been indulgent 
to us all, and to me in particular, had let me fol- 
low him for some days before this, when he went 
on that trail into the forest, which was one which 
he himself had made on his snow-shoes. 


148 Hector, My Dog 

“ At first I could not understand why my mas- 
ter stopped frequently, and cutting down small 
branches, fastened bits of strings with loops in 
them to the ends of them. 

“It was, however, all clear to me the next 
night, when he let me again take a walk with 
him on that same trail. Then we found a number 
of rabbits caught in those loops. 

“ Of course I should not have touched any 
rabbits caught in this way by the master’s snares. 
But, I am sorry to say, that a few nights after, 
I went out alone, and took two or three rabbits 
out of those snares of the master’s, and there did 
eat them.” 

“ Shame, shame, old Rover. To think that 
you of all dogs, should have been a thief.” 

Thus chorused out several of his listeners, and 
even Koona tried to laugh a dog-laugh, and for 
which one of his ears was nipped by the big dog 
sitting on his head. 

“ Leave Rover alone ! ” barked out the great 
majority of the dogs. “ He was punished for his 
fault, and he has never repeated it, which is more 
than can be said of some of you rascals that are 
howling out ‘ shame.’ ” 

This completely silenced the disturbers, and so 
Rover was allowed to proceed : 

“ It was before the master caught me stealing 
the rabbits out of the snares, that one night I 


Wolf Stories 


149 


skulked away from the kennels rather early, for 
Koona had got into the habit of going earlier 
and getting the rabbits before I could.” 

“ The rascal ! Koona a rabbit thief ! ” they all 
yelped out. 

“ Shake him again ! Sit down harder on him ! ” 

This sitting down on him more thoroughly, 
was about an impossibility, as already three dogs 
were comfortably using his prostrate body as a 
cushion. However, another one pulled out from 
under him his beautiful bushy tail, and amidst the 
delight of the others, tried to sit upon it. 

This was the greatest humiliation to Koona, as 
he had undoubtedly the finest tail of any of the 
dogs, and he had never been backward in bring- 
ing forward this fact. So now his humiliation 
was complete when several dogs were thus try- 
ing to straighten it out, and make as much of a 
cushion of it as possible. 

Quiet being again restored, Kover resumed his 
story. 

“ I had to go some distance along the trail,” 
said Kover, “ before I discovered, a little away at 
one side, a fine rabbit hanging in a snare. I had 
to spring up quite high to catch hold of it. When 
I had pulled it down, I carried it into the darkest 
place I could find under a spruce-tree, and began 
eating it as fast as possible, for I knew I was a 
thief, and so was afraid. 


150 Hector, My Dog 

“While I was crunching the bones between ray 
teeth, I happened to look out, and there I saw 
Koona coming along. From where I was in the 
dark, Koona could not see me, and so as I could 
see him, and did not want to be troubled with 
him, I just crunched away harder at the ribs of 
that rabbit, and gave two or three growls, or 
wolf-like snarls. 

“ It would have made you all roll over on the 
ground with delight, if you could have seen the 
way Koona turned, and rushed off for home. 

“ That is all, I believe, there is in Koona’s w T olf 
story, and I quietly told him to hush it up, but 
his egotism is such that he cares not what risks 
he runs, if his self-conceit is only flattered, and 
so now he has only himself to blame for his 
humiliation.” 


XII 


THE DOG COUNCIL 

S OME days elapsed ere any news reached 
our kennels as to the date of the coming 
council. 

The winter was advancing, and there was still 
much work to be done. A new stable was to be 
built, and while the Indian men cut the logs in 
the forests, ten or twelve miles away, we dogs 
had to drag them home on the strongest sleds. 
This was very toilsome work, and was in addi- 
tion to fish hauling and bringing in of fire-wood. 

Then the master decided to go to a faraway 
place called Fort Garry, for supplies. This meant 
that sixteen dogs, four trains, and among them 
Jack and Muff, would be away for five or six 
weeks. 

Thus it looked as though our council would not 
be held for a long time. However, something 
happened which after all brought it on speedily. 

Just as our master was about ready to begin 
his long journey to Fort Garry, there came to 
the mission another Ayumeaookemou, of whom 
our master and his family were very fond. 

He came with a couple of trains of fine dogs 

151 


152 Hector, My Dog 

from some far away place where he there was 
teaching the Indians to be good, and among other 
things, to be kind to their dogs, even as was our 
master. 

We dogs soon learned to love him, for he was 
not only very kind to the little children in the 
mission, who dearly loved him, but he often came 
out with our master, and petted us all, but es- 
pecially the older dogs, who seemed to know him 
well. 

That he was a good man and the friend of the 
dogs, we knew from the way his own dogs felt 
towards him. As we loved our master, so they 
loved him. He looked well after them, and saw 
that they were well fed and had a good sheltered 
place in which to rest and sleep. 

One of them had a sore on his shoulder where 
he could not reach it with his tongue, and so he 
was given in charge of old Rover, our dog doctor, 
and so well did the old fellow do his work, that 
during the few days that this good man remained 
in the home of our master, the wounded dog was 
completely cured. 

We dogs became great friends with his dogs. 
Our masters were most loving friends, so why 
should not we, their dogs, whom they so well 
treated, be the best of friends. And so we 
were. 

At first this great friendship which so speedily 


153 


The Dog Council 

sprang up between these visiting sleigh-dogs and 
ourselves, was to me a mystery. For the fact 
may as well come out, we dogs of the mission 
were generally very jealous of strange dogs, and 
when any dared to come near the place, we 
drove them off as quickly as Jack had driven me 
in my puppy days away from the schoolhouse. 
But now it was so different, and as I am only a 
stupid dog, it took me some time to understand. 

It seemed so queer to me to see one of our 
fiercest dogs lying down with two of the largest 
dogs of the visiting train and there with their 
heads together, in dog language, they were talk- 
ing so earnestly, though quietly. Then in their 
dog fashion they would kiss each other, and in 
the most affectionate manner, show great love 
for each other. 

So one day I asked old Bover, who was always 
good-natured and not angry, even when foolish 
questions were put to him, what it all meant. 

The dear old dog bow-wowed out a good- 
natured laugh at my dulness and said : 

“ Why ! can you not see that they are broth- 
ers ? They are glad to meet each other again, 
and of course have much to talk about.” 

So at length I got to understand that some of 
these fine dogs now visiting us, had grown up as 
puppies in our kennels, and that our masters were 
ever helping each other with dogs and other 


154 


Hector, My Dog 

things which each needed to thoroughly carry 
on their work. 

Word had come out to the kennels that the 
journey to Fort Garry had been postponed for a 
week, in order that the dogs of our visitor should 
be thoroughly rested and fed up for the long 
journey, which he had decided to take with us. 
And what had caused the greatest delight was 
that this good man, when he saw the great piles 
of wood which we had dragged from the forest, 
and the large quantities of frozen fish stored 
away in the fish-house, which we had brought 
from the distant fishing point, had pleaded with 
our master to give us dogs a holiday, like his 
were having. 

To this request our master agreed, and soon 
to my great delight, I found Jack, with Muff, 
the secretary, going around among the dogs, and 
imparting some information that soon was known 
to us all. 

It was that the council, about which we had 
been speaking, was to assemble the next day, and 
that to it our visiting dog friends had been 
cordially invited, and had at once replied that it 
would be a very great pleasure on their part to 
attend. 

As the number of dogs would thus be large, 
at the request of Jack and Cuffy, the front space 


The Dog Council 155 

in the stable was granted by our indulgent master 
to form the council room. 

The morning of the council at length arrived, 
and at the time appointed, it seemed as though 
every dog was present. At first a separate place 
had been assigned for our visiting dogs, but they 
did not like this, and preferred to sit among their 
own relatives that were in our pack. 

Jack, as it had been arranged, at once took the 
chair, and called the meeting to order. Born 
aristocrat that he was, and conscious of his 
powers, there was that in his very presence that 
told all humbler dogs, of less certain lineage, that 
he was without question the one who should ever 
be their leader. Modest Muff had to be called 
forward to take her place as secretary. 

A hearty chorus of cheery bow-wows greeted 
her, which she much appreciated. 

Then I noticed that none of us had given the 
chairman any cheers when he had taken his 
place. 

In my foolishness, I was about to set up a 
noisy barking cheer for him, when I was speedily 
silenced by the dogs around me. 

“ None of that ! ” they snapped out. “ Jack 
wants no such nonsense. All he wants is that 
you behave yourself in the council, and if you 
don’t, he will speedily make you.” 

Silence having now settled down upon us, and 


156 Hector, My Dog 

the late comers being all seated, Jack arose, and 
began his address. 

“ Madam Cuffy, and ladies and gentlemen 
dogs,” he began, and at once we surmised, and 
afterwards found out, that he was a henpecked 
husband, and that his mate, the beautiful Cuffy, 
when in her tantrums, led him, big as he was, a 
very poor dog’s life. 

“ I have called you together to-day that we 
may have the pleasure of listening to Nelson and 
Black, and it may be, some other dogs.” 

“ Koona ! ” some dog yelped out. 

The chairman at once rose up on his hind legs, 
and looked severely in the direction from which 
the interruption had come. He was unable, how- 
ever, to positively name the culprit. He also had 
some difficulty in suppressing the ripple of mer- 
riment and the broad grins of delight of all the 
dogs, who had first heard Koona’s version of his 
wolf adventure, and then Hover’s true account of 
the affair. 

“As I was about to remark,” resumed the 
chairman, “we are to hear the story of the 
conflicts in battles between some of our compan- 
ions, with our deadliest enemies, the great north- 
ern wolves, that roam in the vast forests around 
us. Not only will we be pleased to listen to any 
thrilling stories that our own dogs may be able 
to tell us, but it will be a great pleasure to us all, 


The Dog Council 157 

if any of our visiting dog friends that have had 
any similar experiences will let us hear from 
them. 

“ And now, ladies and gentlemen dogs, I will 
not much further detain you, but will call on my 
much respected secretary, Madam Muff, to call 
the roll.” 

As Jack resumed his seat, there was some ap- 
plause, but it quickly died away, when it was 
seen that he paid not the slightest attention 
to it. 

The roll having been called by Muff, who had 
the names arranged in alphabetical order, and thus 
gave no offense, as had occurred in previous 
councils, where some old dogs had felt slighted 
by hearing the names of younger dogs called be- 
fore theirs. 

“ And now,” said Jack, “ I am sure you will all 
give the best attention while we listen to the 
dogs that are to address us as they give the 
stories of their conflicts with wolves which are, as 
you are aware, our deadliest enemies that roam.” 

“ O bother ! ” snapped out Cuffy. “ You said 
all that before. Your tongue is as long as old 
Mary’s. We have not come here to listen to 
your clack. Do call up your speakers, and let us 
have a chance to hear what they have to say.” 

My ! but there was consternation among us 
dogs. 


158 Hector, My Dog 

The bare idea of any dog living, thus speaking 
to such a powerful dog as Jack. And so a shiver 
went through us, and we waited in suspense for 
the storm. 

But there was no storm. Jack had, it was now 
evident, learned his lesson, long ere this. With- 
out a word, or even a look of remonstrance, to 
Mistress Culfy, he quietly said : 

“We will now hear Nelson tell his story.” 

With a lot of nervousness, Nelson, who like 
the rest of us, had been upset by Cuffy’s action, 
came forward to the place assigned him. 

We all welcomed the popular handsome dog 
with a full chorus of dog applause, which much 
encouraged him. 

“ Mr. Chairman and fellow companions,” he 
said. 

“ You older dogs well know that I am not of 
your kennels bred, and have only had the privi- 
lege of sharing your pleasures and toils for a few 
brief years. 

“ As well as I can remember, I lived my young 
days in an Indian wigwam far back in the North 
Land on the shores of a great lake, which I have 
heard the palefaces call Lake Wollaston. 

“ As the Indians there were but few, and the 
fish very abundant, my master, who was one of 
that people, gave to my mother and the rest of 
us dogs, plenty of food during the summer months 


159 


The Dog Council 

when the fish could be easily caught. In the 
cold winter months when the ice was so thick on 
the great lake that fishing was impossible, all of 
us, Indians and dogs, were practically dependent 
on the herds of reindeer that frequently came 
down to us from the barren grounds farther 
north. 

“ When my master was successful in shooting 
the leader deer of the herd, he generally suc- 
ceeded in shooting a number ere the herd fled 
away. 

“ So with fish and reindeer meat and parts of 
the other animals they managed to kill, we dogs 
did not fare very badly. 

“Thus I grew up to be the fairly large dog 
that I am. My master without much cruelty 
broke me into the harness, and I loved to serve 
him, for he was not unkind to me. I worked for 
him for two winters, and met with some strange 
adventures. 

“ The first one was when my master took his 
family and two of his dogs, and went out far 
away in the forest to make his winter hunt. His 
hunting grounds were very distant from any 
other Indian hunter. 

“ He made his hunting lodge of strong poles, 
which he set close together in the ground in a 
round trench which he dug before it was hard 
frozen. The tops of the longer poles were drawn 


160 Hector, My Dog 

together, so that the lodge was like a wigwam, 
only much stronger. 

“Then with birch bark and stones and sods 
and moss, the lodge was banked up and made 
warm and comfortable. 

“ It was well for us that our master, who was 
clever and industrious beyond most of the Indians 
in these matters, made a strong door for his hunt- 
ing lodge by splitting with long thin wedges some 
birch logs into broad pieces like planks. These 
he dressed well with his axe, and then firmly 
joined them together. lie made wooden hinges, 
and set up the door in its place in a strong birch 
frame with a great cross bar to hold it in its place 
when shut. 

“ This strong door was very different from the 
ordinary door of a tent or wigwam, which is gener- 
ally, as you all know, only a few deer or buffalo 
skins sewed together. But it was well for us 
that we had such a strong hunting lodge with 
this good door. 

“ The snow was very deep that winter, and it 
was not long before the great gray wolves be- 
gan troubling us. I understood from my Indian 
master’s talk that there were plenty of silver 
foxes and minks and martens and wild cats and 
other rich fur-bearing animals, but he said the 
wolves and wolverines had got on his trail of 
traps and deadfalls and often before he could 


The Dog Council 161 

visit them, these animals had been there and they 
had eaten the animals which had been caught, 
even if their flesh was very poor food. 

“ One day my Indian master returned wflth 
only the beautiful tail of a black fox and the paw 
of a mink. Their bodies had been devoured by 
wolves. My master was not only angry and dis- 
appointed at thus losing two such valuable ani- 
mals, but as he and his wife talked the matter 
over, we could see that they were alarmed, and 
began to fear that they, when out on the trail, or 
even in their hunting lodge, might any day be 
attacked. For they said, if the wolves are so 
hungry that they will even eat foxes, which 
nearly every animal refuses to touch, it means 
that they must be very nearly starved, and there- 
fore will be very venturesome and savage. 

“ So it was resolved that every one should be 
very cautious. Even the Indian woman, who 
used us two dogs and the sled, to draw to the 
lodge the wood required, or to go for the deer 
which the man often shot, decided to always have 
her loaded gun with her. 

“ The man, before starting out next morning, 
well-sharpened his tomahawk and hunting-knife, 
and put in his pouch more bullets than usual. 

“ The Indian woman had cut, and we had hauled 
home, a couple of loads of wood, when about 
noon, we heard the distant howlings of wolves. 


1 62 Hector, My Dog 

Then we heard the report of a gun, and in a few 
minutes we heard the gun again and soon again. 
This very much alarmed the Indian woman, as 
she knew her husband’s gun had only one barrel, 
and there were no hunters near. 

“ So when she heard the gun again and again, 
she could stand it no longer. So, after securely 
fastening the door of the lodge, with a sharp axe 
in her belt and the loaded gun in her hands and 
a powder-horn and bullet-pouch across her shoul- 
ders, she strapped on her snow-shoes, and calling 
us two dogs to follow behind, she hurried off on 
the trail made by the snow-shoes of the Indian 
man that morning, and which led straight towards 
the place where we had heard the wolves and the 
firing. 

“ My Indian mistress was not only brave, but 
she was cautious, and so when she knew she must 
be near the place, which was in the forest, she 
hushed us into complete silence, and moved very 
noiselessly but rapidly from tree to tree. 

“ It was not long before we could see our In- 
dian master up in a tree, while around it were a 
number of wolves. He was above their reach, 
and at first we were surprised that he was not 
firing more frequently at them, but we heard 
later that his bullets were nearly all fired away. 

“ As my mistress wanted to let him know that 
she was there without attracting the attention of 


The Dog Council 163 

the wolves, she. kept well out of sight of those 
fierce animals that would speedily have attacked 
her if they had had any idea of her presence, and 
croaked out the hoarse notes of the whiskey- 
jack. 

“The man at once heard it and understood. 
So, while pretending to continue shouting at the 
wolves, he began now giving directions to his 
wife what to do. 

“ She carried out his instructions, which were 
to remain out of sight, and fire when she could 
at least hit a couple of the wolves. She was then 
to shout out as loudly as she could, while he again 
would fire among them. 

“As was anticipated by these hunters, who so 
well understand these animals, they were so ter- 
rified by this second attack, that those that were 
unwounded quickly fled away. 

“Now here came my humiliation. 

“ As the master sprang down from the tree, my 
mistress, who had reloaded her gun, and we two 
dogs, hurried forward to join him. 

“ In my foolishness I went among what I sup- 
posed were dead wolves, nipping at them in my 
delight over their death. While thus fooling with 
one of them, I saw his eye open, and so terrible 
was its gleam, that I was dreadfully frightened. 
I dropped my once long beautiful tail and turned 
to run. But while I saved my life, I did not 


164 Hector, My Dog 

wholly escape. For when he sprang at me, while 
he did not reach my body, he did succeed in 
reaching my tail, and those sharp teeth of his like 
a knife bit the most of it off, leaving me only 
what you see is left of it. 

“ The wolf, however, did no further harm. 

“ The gun in the hands of my alert mistress 
suddenly spoke out, and then he was dead sure 
enough.” 

Then, with a bow to the chairman and a com- 
ical flourish of his short, bushy stub of a tail, 
which set nearly every dog in the council grin- 
ning with delight, Nelson thus finished his first 
story. 

“ I move that we adjourn,” said Cuffy. And 
the chairman said : 

“ The council is adjourned for two hours.” 


XIII 


NELSON AND BLACK 

T HE council assembled early in the after- 
noon, and as Cutfy did not appear, Jack 
was in the best of humor, and in again 
introducing Nelson to continue his address, com- 
plimented him on the admirable tale he had given 
us, even if it had so concerned the other tail, part 
of which the treacherous wolf had so suddenly 
robbed him. 

Nelson, in resuming his narrative, at once got 
into his subject without any waste of words, and 
said : 

“ As my master and mistress feared, the wolves 
were very troublesome, although after this killing 
of several of them, they did not disturb us for 
some time. 

“ I and my companion dog were harnessed to 
the sled, and our master used us to drag to the 
lodge the dead wolves which he skinned, as their 
robes are valuable. Their dead bodies, which 
froze solid, he piled up, a couple of hundred feet 
from the lodge. Why he put them there we 
found out afterwards. 

“ Using all necessary caution, my brave Indian 
165 


1 66 Hector, My Dog 

master continued his hunting. Some nights, as 
we were all there in the lodge, I heard him and 
his wife say that they wished he had brought 
two or three of his brother Indians with him, as 
there was a great deal of danger for one lonely 
hunter, with the wolves so much more numerous 
than they had imagined. However, he kept at 
his work, and was succeeding fairly well. 

“ Towards spring, while the snow was still 
very deep, there came some bright, warm days, 
which much softened the snow. Then there 
came a cold snap, and the frost made a hard 
crust on the top of the snow. 

“ This was the opportunity for the wolves, as 
they got on the tracks of the reindeer, or moose. 
For, while the wolves could run on the hard crust 
on the snow, the heavier animals broke through, 
and thus could not get away from their merciless 
enemies. 

“Numbers of deer were thus killed, and some 
quite near our lodge. 

“ One day, as our master was out in the forest, 
not far from his wigwam, he saw a great moose 
coming towards him, being chased by a single 
big wolf. The moose was plunging through the 
crusted snow as well as he could, but do his best, 
he could not get on as fast as the wolf, that 
easily bounded along on the icy crust. 

“My master noticed that the moose would 


Nelson and Black 


167 

whirl around, when the wolf was near, and offer 
battle, but the cowardly wolf would then only 
sit down on the crust at a safe distance off, and 
set up the most dismal howlings. 

“These howlings would suddenly start the 
moose off again, for he knew that they meant 
that that wolf was calling to his companion 
wolves to come to his help. 

“ Those wolf-calls also alarmed my master, for 
he did not want to have the pack of wolves come 
so near his lodge. So he decided quickly what 
he would do. 

“ He let the wolf chase the moose until they 
were both not far away from the lodge. He had 
kept very quietly gliding on his show-shoes, for 
he knew the two animals were so excited in 
watching each other, that he had little fear of 
being noticed. When he had decided that they 
were near enough, he first shot the wolf, and then 
again loading his gun, he drove the moose much 
nearer the lodge, and there killed him. 

“ His alert wife had heard first the howlings 
of the wolf, and then the two reports of the gun, 
and so was ready to act in any way required. 

“ As the master rushed up on his snow-shoes, 
he told her what had happened. Their two guns 
were loaded, and as we dogs were there already 
harnessed to the wood sled, we were speedily 
driven to the spot where lay the dead moose. 


1 68 


Hector, My Dog 

He was a large one, and it was all the man and 
woman could do to get him on the sled. Then 
we dragged him on the icy crust to the lodge. 

“ They worked in a hurry that day, for they 
did not know the minute they would hear the 
howlings of the pack of wolves that had been 
called by the one now dead. 

“ My master did not want to lose the fine 
skin of the wolf he had shot, and so leaving his 
wife skinning the moose, he put both of the guns 
on the sled, and turning us around, he drove us 
as fast as we could go, to the dead wolf. 

“We dragged him home in safety without 
hearing any distant howlings. 

“ The active mistress had the moose partly 
skinned, and as the two of them now worked 
together, they soon had both the moose and 
wolfskins off, and in the lodge. They then cut 
up the body of the moose, and while they carried 
part of the meat into they lodge, they cached the 
rest, by bending down some saplings, and then 
let them swing up again, loaded with the meat, 
beyond the reach of the most active wolves. 
The body of the wolf was dragged on our sled by 
us two dogs, and thrown away on the frozen 
bodies of the ones killed some time before. 

“My! but we two dogs were excited. Our 
master and mistress were, and as is often the 
case, the dogs get into the same spirit. 


Nelson and Black 


169 

“ The moose meat taken into the wigwam was 
tied up in the centre, high up over the fire. The 
smoke would do it no harm. Plenty of wood 
was brought in, and the kettles filled with water. 

“ The master had some large steel traps, which 
he set in different places around the lodge, se- 
curely fastening their chains to young trees. 

“ Thus the daylight passed away, and it was 
dark before we heard the distant howlings of 
the wolves. It made us two dogs tremble at 
first, but when we looked into the brave faces of 
our master and mistress, who quietly petted us, 
we seemed to catch their spirit, and resolved to 
stand by them all we could. But we were very 
glad that we w T ere in the hunting-lodge with its 
thick, frozen walls and strong door and bright 
fire. All we could do, was just there to wait for 
what would happen. 

“ The howling of the wolves suddenly ceased 
in the distance. This was when they had reached 
the places where their comrade and the moose 
had been killed. They had also got the scent of 
the hunter, and were suspicious. It was not long, 
however, before they came along on the trail 
made by our sled, that dragged the large moose, 
from which some blood had dripped. 

“The sight of the hunting-lodge, with the 
sparks of fire and smoke going out of the top, 
made them again suspicious for a time, but they 


170 Hector, My Dog 

soon got the scent of the fresh meat hanging up 
just above their reach, and so they soon forgot 
their fears, and made the most desperate efforts 
to reach it, but were not able. 

“ It was not long before they got on the scent 
of their dead comrades that night. But they did 
not then care for dead wolf : they were after 
higher game. 

“ It was not long before my comrade dog and 
myself detected that some of them had come up 
close to the lodge. Even our clever master and 
mistress did not know this until, by our quiet 
growls, we told them. Then our master went 
and listened at a little crack that there was be- 
tween two of the thick boards of the strong 
door. 

“ He had not been there long before he very 
quickly jerked back his head, for just outside a 
wolf had put his nose to that same crack ! 

“ The master was not so startled, but he quickly 
knew what to do. So, without making any noise, 
he drew out his keen hunting-knife, and when he 
felt certain that the nose of that wolf was there 
again close up to the crack, he so cleverly drove 
his knife through the crack and into the nose of 
that wolf, that there was a howl of pain and rage 
outside. His howlings started the rest of the pack, 
and soon there was a terrible time. 

“ Then the attack began in earnest. The 


Nelson and Black 


171 


wolves tried to break in the door, and failing 
there, they tried to crawl up the steep side of 
the lodge. But so much water had been thrown 
on it, as I have said, when it was made, that they 
had very poor foothold, and so not one of them 
succeeded in getting in. But something now oc- 
curred outside that saved us from further attack. 
In their prowling around, the wolves, that are 
generally very difficult to catch in traps, seemed 
to lose their caution, and so two of them, almost 
at the same time, were caught in different great 
steel traps. We could hear their cries and howls 
of pain, while they made the most desperate efforts 
to escape, but the traps were strong, and the 
chains they could not break. Strange to say, as 
we found out afterwards, they were both caught 
by their two fore legs, and so must have just 
jumped into the traps. And there they were 
securely held. 

“ It is well-known by the hunters, that a wolf, 
when caught by only one foot in a steel trap, 
will cut it off with his teeth, but the Indians 
have no remembrance of any case where a wolf 
has cut off two of his feet. They seem to know 
that they can get along on three legs, but not on 
onty two. 

“ The howlings and cries of these two wolves, 
thus securely caught, filled the others with terror 
and alarm, and perhaps fearful of a similar fate, 


172 Hector, My Dog 

they at once fled away into the forest, nor did we 
see or hear anything of them during the rest of 
the time we there remained.’’ 

Nelson’s stories were well received by his audi- 
tors, and, as usual, a very hearty vote of thanks 
was rendered him, which Muff duly entered into 
the Journals. 

An intermission of twenty minutes here took 
place : the chairman, however, urged the auditors 
to be in their places promptly, as he intended 
calling Black, on the minute, to begin his nar- 
rative. 

Promptly on time, every dog was in his place, 
except the chairman. 

As the minutes passed on, and no Jack appeared, 
there was something like a sensation. Such a 
thing as Jack, the great stickler for promptness 
and order, thus delaying the council, and this in 
the presence of distinguished visitors. The sur- 
prised look on every dog’s face was a study, and 
there were many conjectures. 

“ I’ll bet it’s Cuffy ! ” yelped out the irrepres- 
sible Koona. And sure enough, the rascal was 
right. 

Into the trouble and its cause, I did not dare 
to inquire. And as some of us dogs had heard 
menfolks say that it was a risky business for an 
outsider to interfere in a quarrel between a man 
and his wife. And so I am sure it would have 


Nelson and Black 


173 


gone hard with any dog that would have dared 
to protest or try to argue with Cuffy, even when 
she was most tyrannical and unreasonable in her 
treatment of Jack. 

So all we could do, was to remain quiet, and 
wait, even after we heard them talking in dog 
language outside. 

What we seemed to make out, was that Cuffy 
was trying to get Jack away for a run on the 
trail, while he was pleading his duties as our 
chairman. 

Fortunately for Jack and us, our young master 
came along just then, and seeming to understand 
the matter, and well knowing Cuffy’s ways, he 
just seized her by one ear, and quietly led her 
away, and shut her up in the house. 

We did not very well hear all that she said, 
as she was being led away, but it was something 
like this : 

“ I’ll get even with you yet, my big fellow, for 
this.” 

Flushed and heated was Jack when he took 
his place in the council. We dogs had heard 
enough of the row with Cuffy to tell us the 
reason of his absence, and so when he arose and 
began to try and frame an apology, we dogs at 
once set up such a din of cheering “ bow-wows,” 
that for perhaps the first time in his life, he was 
very grateful for them. Anyway, they soothed 


i74 


Hector, My Dog 

his ruffled spirit, and soon he was his own grand 
dignified self again. 

Calling on Muff to read the minutes of the 
previous session of the council, the unpleasant 
event was considered closed. 

“ We will now,” said the chairman, “ have the 
pleasure of listening to a story from our fellow 
comrade Black.” 

Black, as his name suggested, had the blackest 
coat of any dog in the pack. There was appar- 
ently not a white hair on his body. He was a 
fine, modest, retiring dog, as I have said else- 
where, with a great scar on the side of his head. 

At the call of the chairman, he at once walked 
to the place assigned him, and began his story : 

“ I was young and foolish when I received 
the wound, the scar of which you see. I am 
older now, but I am afraid not much wiser, or I 
would not have been so foolish and presumptu- 
ous as to have consented to occupy the place I 
now do.” 

These modest words, so characteristic of Black, 
much pleased his comrades, and they broke out 
into a cheery chorus of “ bow-wows,” which Jack 
did not try to suppress, as he knew they were 
well deserved. 

Continuing, Black said : “You older dogs 
know I was born in the kennels here, and so 
have known only the kindness and fair treat- 


Nelson and Black 175 

ment which our kind master insists shall be given 
to all of his dogs. We have all of us heard his 
stern words of reproof to any of his drivers, if 
they happened to lose their tempers, and treat us 
cruelly. When I was big and old enough to be 
broken in to be a sleigh-dog, the good master 
attended to the work himself. The work was 
done so easily and successfully, that I really 
hardly remember how it was done. About all I 
do remember is that I was harnessed up in a 
train, and my loved master was on a sled drawn 
by another train, in front of me, and that when 
I heard his cheery call of 4 Black ! Black ! ’ all I 
could do was just to try and run as hard as I 
could to get to him. Then, when we caught up 
and ran alongside of his sled, he gave me dainty 
little bits of pemmican, and said kind words 
to me. 

“ Thus was I broken in, without a cross word, 
or even the blow of a whip, so far as I can re- 
member. 

“ As many dogs, one winter, died of the dis- 
temper, a number of us young dogs were put to 
hard work earlier than our good master wished, 
but it could not be helped, as the work had to be 
done. 

“ But he saw that we were well fed and cared 
for, and our kennels made comfortable with 
plenty of dry beaver meadow hay. So he was 


176 Hector, My Dog 

quite proud of us when we had drawn home 
the fish and hay and plenty of wood for all the 
fires. 

“ One day, in the winter, towards spring, there 
came a young trader, with a sad story about a 
sick sister some hundreds of miles away. He 
was very anxious, he said, to go out and see her, 
but his dogs had died of the distemper, and 
so he begged very hard for our master to lend 
him a train of dogs for the trip. 

“We all know how kind-hearted our good 
master is to everybody, and so he decided to let 
him have the train of four dogs, of which I was 
one. 

“ He was charged to be very 4 careful of us and 
to treat us kindly.’ 

44 This he tried to do, but the load was much 
heavier than we had expected, and it was a very 
bad, rough trail. There was with us another 
train of dogs with an Indian driver. 

44 The two men of our party were very much 
troubled with snow-blindness, so we traveled a 
good deal during the night and rested and slept 
in the dense woods during the hours of sunshine. 

44 One night, as we were pushing on, with no 
light but the stars and the reflection of light 
from the snow, we heard the distant bowlings of 
a number of wolves. They were far away behind 
us, but were coming on our trail. 


Nelson and Black 


177 

“ It was well for us that we had a beaten trail 
in the snow made by the tripping of some Hudson 
Bay officers and their Indian dog drivers. For- 
tunately no blizzard or wind-storm had arisen 
since they passed along, and so the trail in the 
packed down snow was as smooth and hard as 
ice. 

“We pulled on as fast as dogs and men could 
run, as the Indians of our party wisely said: 
‘ We will surely soon reach their camp, where 
they spent the night.’ 

“And so it was. For not more than a mile 
beyond the place where we first heard the wolves, 
there was a fine camp dug out of the snow which 
had been piled up around on three sides ; as the 
Indians made it very comfortable for their 
masters, the company’s officers. 

“We dashed into it, and took possession. The 
fire of course was all out, as some days had passed 
since the one night when they had occupied it. 
There was, however, plenty of cut wood, and so 
it was not long before a large fire was burning. 

“ Our two men loaded their guns with bullets, 
and dragged both of the sleds into the camp, and 
also called all of us dogs inside. There was 
plenty of room, as the camp had been formed for 
several men. 

“We could now tell by the howlings of the 
wolves that they were near at hand. 


178 Hector, My Dog 

“ The bright fire seemed to frighten them, and 
for a time their howlings ceased. Our two men 
were very alert, however, and soon they saw the 
wolves skulking around our camp to see if there 
was a place where they could attack us. 

“There were plenty of small dead trees all 
around, but the men had not had time to cut any 
of them, and so all the wood we had was what 
had been left by the party who had made the 
camp. 

“ So there was not enough to make a circle of 
fire, and this the wolves seemed to know, as they 
circled round and round us. 

“ ‘ There are only six,’ I heard the Indian 
whisper to the other man, ‘ and with our guns 
and axes we can master them.’ 

“The wolves having at length decided that 
there was only the one fire, made a rush for the 
back of the camp, but ere they could reach it, 
two of them were shot dead. 

“ The noise of the guns, and the seizing of their 
axes by the men, as well as the near presence of 
the wolves, so much excited my companion dogs 
and myself, that we four climbed over the bank 
of snow which was the back wall of our camp, 
and rushed at the four wolves. 

“It was a terrible blunder we made. The 
cunning wolves seeing us coming, and not wish- 
ing to give battle within range of those mys- 


Nelson and Black 


179 

terious guns, quietly retreated before us, until 
they had lured us some way into the woods. 

“ In vain did both the men, while rapidly re- 
loading their guns, call us to return. We were 
mad with excitement, and seeing the wolves re- 
treating, we thought we were able for them, and 
so at them we rushed. 

“ It was a terrible battle, but one-sided. 

“We could not stand against them. Their 
sharp teeth cut into us every time their strong 
jaws closed on us. 

“ This great scar on my head is the result of 
the bite of the wolf with which I was fighting. 
He tried for my throat, but I prevented that. 
Then, in our struggle, he got his grip on my head. 

“ I tried to shake him off, and to get at his 
throat. In this I failed, but when he put up one 
of his paws to get a firmer grip on me, I managed 
to seize hold of his leg just above the foot. In it 
I set my teeth with all the strength I had, for I 
saw we were in a battle that was life or death. 
Strange to say, he let go of his grip on my head, 
and without trying very hard to grip me again, 
only made the most desperate efforts to get his 
leg out of my mouth, as we struggled there in 
the snow. Young and foolish as I was, I had 
dog sense enough to know by the way he howled, 
that I had a good grip on him, and I resolved to 
just hang on.” 


180 Hector, My Dog 

Here the excited dog listeners could not re- 
strain their enthusiasm, and so gave Black rounds 
of applause. 

Jack, the chairman, was very indulgent, but at 
length he called them to order, and Black pro- 
ceeded with his story. 

“ There remains,” he said, “ but little more to 
be said. How long the struggle would have con- 
tinued, I do not know ; I fear not very long, for 
one of the four dogs had already been killed 
by the wolves, and the other two were badly 
wounded. 

“ But sudden was our deliverance. While so 
desperately struggling with the wolf, I had not 
noticed the approach of the two men from the 
camp. 

“ The first I knew of their presence, was when 
one of the guns went off so close to my ear that 
it very much startled me. But it had done its 
work, and now my teeth were set into the leg of 
a dead wolf. So desperately had I fastened them 
into that wolf, that it was hard for me to get 
them loose. My jaws seemed so set. 

“Another gun had also been successful, and 
two discomfited wolves flitted away in the dark- 
ness. 

“ Poor Swag was quite dead. The surviving 
three of us went back to the camp with the In- 
dians. With their axes, they cut down some 


Nelson and Black 181 

more trees, and thus secured abundance of wood, 
and made a bright fire, and by it they sat until 
daylight, and sewed up the wounds of three fool- 
ish dogs, that never since have had any ambition 
to attack the great northern gray wolves.” 

With votes of thanks, and some kindly “ bow- 
wows ” from the visiting dogs, the council closed 
just as there were heard the welcome calls for 
supper. 


XIV 


THE JOURNEY TO WINNIPEG 

T HE next day my master and his friend 
came out to the kennels, and looked at 
us carefully, and then talked earnestly 
with each other. 

“ Come here, Hector ! ” said my master. “ ¥e 
are going to take you and your mates as an extra 
train to Fort Garry, to bring out supplies for this 
good man. 

“ It is the longest and heaviest trip you have 
ever made, but I fancy you will do well. How 
go to your own kennel with your mates, and 
tell them to rest and sleep and eat all you can, 
for your ribs will be showing more plainly than 
they do now ere you get back.” 

This was good news for me, and also to my 
comrades. 

We dogs that had been kept at the mere 
routine work about the mission, such as drawing 
wood and fish and hay, were quite jealous of the 
crack trains that had had the honor of going off 
on the long journeys that sometimes kept them 
away for six weeks. 

182 


The Journey to Winnipeg 183 

We imagine that they must have seen a great 
many wonderful things in that time. 

So we home dogs were quite envious of them, 
and listened with great interest to their stories. 
We did not seem to notice how thin some of them 
were when they returned, or how sore and bleed- 
ing were many of their feet. 

Then of all trips, the one to Fort Garry was 
the one most talked about. 

They saw, they said, at that place, so many 
people who made a great fuss over them, and on 
some occasions they had even had beef for food. 

Why, the very thought of it made our mouths 
water. Just think of it; the possibility of us 
dogs that had nothing but fish, having some 
meals of beef. 

So it was no wonder that we dogs were wild 
with delight, when we heard that we had been 
selected to go with the other trains to Fort 
Garry. Indeed, we were so excited about it, that 
we could hardly rest and sleep as we had been 
ordered by our master. 

“ Come here, Hector, I want to measure your 
feet.” 

Well, of all the queer orders I ever received, 
this was to me the oddest. And what made it 
more surprising the questioner was none other 
than little old Mary, the children’s nurse. It 
seems that my little master had already heard 


184 Hector, My Dog 

that I had been selected as one of the dogs to go 
on this long trip, and as we loved each other very 
much, more so if possible since his escape from 
the wolf, when I led the train, he was resolved 
that everything possible should be done for my 
comfort. 

So the first thing he had thought of was my 
feet. He had often been full of sorrow at the 
sight of the sore, bleeding feet of the dogs on 
their return from some of these long journeys ; 
even Jack and Cuffy had suffered very much. 
And so the kind-hearted young master had gone 
to his nurse, and had insisted that she, the best 
needlewoman among all the Indians, should make 
my shoes. 

Mary had as usual protested against the extra 
work, but the one word, “ Sakehow ” (beloved), 
from the young master whom she simply idolized, 
broke down all of her objections, and so now 
here she was measuring my feet most thoroughly. 

Some time later, I was brought by Sagastao, 
the young master, to the kitchen, when, under 
his eye, the shoes were tried on, and found to fit 
admirably. They were made of a warm woolen 
cloth called Duffle. There were over a dozen of 
them, and I used them all up ere I returned. 

The good mistress was quite amused when she 
heard about Mary’s making my shoes. Up to 
that time she had turned up her nose at the idea 


The Journey to Winnipeg 185 

of her doing any such coarse sewing, but she 
knew the great love of Mary for Sagastao, and 
so was not surprised when she heard that he had 
given her the work to do. The mistress was 
also wise about these things, and knew that there 
must be no jealousies among the dogs, even about 
these shoes. So she appointed Mary to take 
charge of the Indian women who were called in 
to make the many scores of shoes that would be 
required by the many dogs on this long journey. 
Mary loved to boss folks, as well as to say sharp 
things to dogs. So she was pleased with her po- 
sition, and quickly gathered into the large kitchen 
the required number of Indian women, who, 
seated on their blankets on the floor, under her 
energetic directions, speedily did their work. 
But not a dog-shoe there before those women did 
Mary make. When her sharp eyes were not on 
them, she was ostentatiously engaged on some 
exquisite piece of silk or bead-work. 

Dear old Memotas, of the gentle voice, was 
called to carefully fit our collars, so that without 
any irritation or suffering, we could best do our 
work. 

I, of course, being only a dog, could not notice 
everything that was being done to make the long 
trip a very successful one. Suffice to say, we had 
all the good white fish we could eat. While our 
liberty was not restrained yet we were not much 


1 86 Hector, My Dog 

encouraged to romp or play. Rest and sleep 
seemed to be the wish of our masters and the 
guide and drivers. 

Wise indeed were they as we found later on in 
the long, long, toilsome journey. 

I watched with interest the packing of the 
heavy sleds which we were to draw. I overheard 
the masters say, that as they were to sleep many 
nights in the snow, there must be plenty of 
blankets and fur robes, also abundance of food, 
especially fat meat. 

As they were to bring heavy loads of supplies 
back from Fort Garry, they heavily loaded some 
of the sleds with frozen white fish. The fish 
were not only to be the food of us dogs going to 
our destination, but quantities of them were to 
be cached away in the deep snow in convenient 
places, that we could have them for our suppers 
when we were returning home. 

This plan would enable our masters to put 
much heavier loads on our sleds at Fort 
Garry. 

I was rather humiliated, when I found that 
the sled of which I was to be the leader of the 
train was loaded with nothing but frozen fish. 
But I soon found out, as we traveled on day by 
day, that it was a good thing for us, as at each 
evening camp, so many were taken off for food 
and to be cached away for us on our return trip, 


The Journey to Winnipeg 187 

that our sled was so much the lighter, and so 
much the easier to draw. 

Tom Grieve was our guide, and Martin was 
the driver of my train. Sagastao, my little 
master, had arranged that Martin should drive 
us. He knew that although Martin was a thor- 
ough driver, he would not punish us unless it was 
well-deserved. 

Yoyageur, the great leader, was of course to be 
at the head. The other dogs of the master’s 
train were Jack, Cuffy and Muff. 

The last evening, while we were having our 
suppers, the masters and drivers came and looked 
us over. They seemed pleased that we all looked 
so well. 

“ Rest and sleep well to-night, doggies,” they 
said, “for early to-morrow we start.” 

The stars were still shining when the drivers, 
with their harness with their little silvery bells 
jingling, came for us. 

My ! but it was bitterly cold outside of our 
warm kennels. But what cared we for that. 
The collars were speedily on our necks, the 
heavily-loaded sleds were dragged out of the fish- 
house, and each train of four dogs harnessed in 
tandem style, was speedily attached. The guide 
and drivers had come from their homes in the 
village where they had had their breakfasts, but 
our thoughtful, loving mistress had had an extra 


1 88 Hector, My Dog 

meal prepared for them in the big mission kitchen, 
and so when the sleds were all prepared and the 
trains attached, they gratefully partook of the 
warm meal and many cups of tea. 

Then all went into a front room, and we dogs 
heard our good mistress’ voice leading in song, 
and although we poor dogs are not supposed to 
know much about these things, yet it did sound 
to us like : “ God be with you till we meet 

again.” Then when the singing ceased, we were 
awed, as we heard our master talk to some one 
with great reverence, whom he thanked for His 
past protecting care and asked to still watch over 
them all, those in the house, and those out in the 
wintry cold. 

A strange hush fell upon us dogs, for we can 
tell much by the tones of voices, as we heard 
Sagastao and Minnehaha weeping, and as our 
master heard them, even his strong, firm voice 
was full of emotion at the grief of his little ones, 
at the long parting, and the lonely home which 
would be theirs and their dear mother’s, in that 
lonely northern house. But it was only for a lit- 
tle while that they showed their grief, and then 
they were all brave again. And as the door 
opened, and Tom the guide and Kennedy came 
out with their master’s robes and blankets, we 
caught glimpses through that open door of the 
master and the brave mistress and the two chil- 


The Journey to Winnipeg 189 

dren, kissing each other and saying “ good- 
bye.” 

This was something that we dogs could not 
fully understand, nor the meaning of all their 
parting words, but there was something like : 
“ Hoping soon to meet again.” 

They then all came out into the bitter cold, 
even to old Mary. But it was evident that her 
sole thought was about the children. She busied 
herself about their wrappings, and apparently 
saw no one else. 

Sagastao first went and said “ good-bye” to 
big Jack and Cuffy, and then he came to me, and 
putting his arms around my neck, he said : 

“ Good-bye, Hector, my own doggie dear. You 
saved me from the big wolf that wanted to eat 
me, and I am sorry you and Billy, Boxer and 
Buster are going away for six weeks. I shall 
miss you and dear father very much.” 

Then his voice broke, and as I looked up, I saw 
that he was weeping, and some of his tears fell 
upon my head. So I loved him more than ever. 

And now the master had taken his place, and 
the guide and drivers all go and shake hands with 
the mistress, whom they all so love, and who has 
a cheery, kind word for each of them. 

Numbers of the Indians have come to see us 
off, and to cry, “ What cheer ! What cheer ! ” 
As there were so many dog-sleds and trains, the 


190 Hector, My Dog 

last thing the guide does, is to arrange our places 
in the procession. 

Voyageur, of course, leads in the master’s train. 
The visitor, his loved friend, comes next. To my 
great joy, the master said : “ Let Hector’s train 
come next.” 

This plan made Koona very angry, for he was 
very ambitious, and here he found himself placed 
far back. 

Soon, however, we all were placed, and were 
expected to travel in that order unless some acci- 
dent occurred. My ! but what a noise we did set 
up. Such barkings and shaking of our musical 
bells, and such jumping and springing in our 
traces. 

Our masters smiled, and were pleased, and 
said : 

“Our dogs are in splendid spirits. We hope 
they will feel as well in six weeks’ time.” 

Now when everything seemed ready for us to 
start, and we were waiting for the master to give 
the word to the guide, there was a scene that 
could touch even the heart of a dog, even if, as a 
dog, he could not fully understand. 

The master had taken his place in his cariole, 
and as Kennedy was packing in the robes around 
him, there burst out a cry so pitiful, that even we 
dogs were startled. 

It came from wee sweet little Minnehaha, who 


The Journey to Winnipeg 19 1 

had been picked up by Mary to be carried back 
into the house. 

“ Let me kiss my dear father again,” she said. 

When Mary carried her to her father’s cariole, 
she fairly threw herself into his arms, as there he 
was already seated. Throwing her arms around 
his neck, as well as she could, for he was bundled 
up in his furs, she pressed her little rosy face into 
his, and wailed : “ Oh, father I father ! don’t go 
away so long and leave us here all alone. Mother 
and Sagastao and I are so lonesome without you. 
And Mary tells us about the wolves and the bliz- 
zards and the storms, and your sleeping every 
night in the cold woods in a hole in the snow, 
and we never hear from you all the time you are 
away. Don’t go, father ! Don’t go ! ” 

Then the mother came, and without a word — 
for what word could there be said — she gently 
lifted up the sobbing child, and carried her into 
the house. 

“ All right, Tom ! ” said the master to the guide, 
but his voice was low and still. 

The drivers shouted out “ Marche ! ” to their 
different trains, and the long journey was begun. 


XV 


ON THE TRAIL 

“ 1ST TELL, Hector!” said Jack to me, as 
\ /\/ we sat close together the first night 
▼ ▼ near the camp-fire, while our drivers 

were thawing out our fish for our supper. 
“What do you think of this kind of work? 
Would you not rather have remained at home 
and hauled wood or fish all day, and then had 
your fish well prepared in the kitchen, and then 
your warm kennel in which to sleep, instead of 
sitting out here in the snow in the woods, and 
blinking into the fire ? ” 

This question of Jack’s was so unexpected that 
for a moment it quite upset me. For the fact 
was, I had begun the day’s work with so much 
energy as well as delight, that now as I sat there 
in the snow, watching with one eye the fiery sparks 
with their long tails flying up above us, and the 
other eye on the fish thawing for our supper, my 
body w r as weary, and my feet were cold. So for 
an instant, as I thought of the warm kennels 
with their abundance of dry beaver meadow hay, 
instead of the snow in which I was sitting, a bit 
of a shiver ran through me, which Jack did not 
192 


On the Trail 


193 

fail to notice, and which I am afraid was even seen 
by my master, who sat quite near to us. 

But it was only for a moment, and then, as I 
saw the splendid dogs that I was permitted to 
call my comrades, and these picked Indian drivers, 
every one of whom was kind-hearted, and es- 
pecially when I thought of my kind master who 
had taken me from a life of cruelty, and who was 
here sitting at this same camp-fire with no roof 
above him, and exposed to the same bitter cold 
and storms, there entered into me a spirit of pride 
and delight, and I was able in my best dog lan- 
guage to tell Jack truthfully, that I was proud to 
be in the company of, and permitted to now call 
myself, one of the dogs that our master honored 
with his greatest confidence, in giving to them 
the most responsible work to do, which could 
possibly be ours to perform. 

As I finished my answer to Jack, which much 
pleased him, I happened to look at my master, 
and I saw that his look was kindly and encour- 
aging. Then it came to me that he had first seen 
my depression, and then the spirit of pride of 
service that had come to me as I had answered, 
even if he had not understood my language. 

But just then the calls of our drivers were 
heard that our suppers were ready, and as, when 
at hard work, we get only one meal a day, we 
were eager for it, and so lost no time in gathering 


194 Hector, My Dog 

together as trains, where each driver fed his own 
four dogs, and took great care to see that there 
was no stealing by the stronger dogs, of the fish 
of the younger or weaker. 

But it seems to me that I have begun my story 
of the day’s doings at the wrong end. So before 
I am tired and sleepy, and cuddle down on the 
outside of one of my master’s robes near to the 
place where are Jack and Cuffy, I will try and 
tell of some of the events of the day. 

We had for the first day or two, the trail over 
which many hunters had passed. This enabled 
us to make good progress, and so it was not long 
after sunrise the first morning when we reached 
what our drivers called the old fort. 

We dogs here had a short rest while the men 
cut down some small, dry trees, cleaned away the 
snow, built up a roaring fire, and there cooked a 
good, warm, second breakfast for themselves. 

Soon after we were traveling on great Lake 
Winnipeg, which was solidly frozen over. Tom 
Grieve, the guide, up to this time had been run- 
ning on ahead of the trains. Now, after what 
they call the first spell, that is, a run of a couple 
of hours or so, he had a talk with the master. I 
did not of course understand all that was said, 
but I was startled when I heard the master say : 

“ Let Yoyageur show us what he can do ! and,” 
added the master, “ it will be more pleasant for 


On the Trail 


195 

you to come on behind, in company with the 
drivers.” 

“ Thank you, sir,” said Tom. “ It does get a 
little lonesome at times, and I am proud to be 
your guide. However, there is no need of me 
now at the front, on this great lake, with such a 
leader as Yoyageur.” 

So to the matchless Yoyageur, the leader dog, 
that had no equal, was given the work of guiding 
us on from point to point on that great Lake Win- 
nipeg, and so well did he do his work that all the 
guide had to do, when the point or headland on 
the lake was reached, was for him to take his 
place again at the head, and lead us up from the 
lake into the forest, until a suitable camping-place 
was found. 

Yoyageur showed himself worthy of the confi- 
dence reposed in him. All the master had to do 
was to show him the distant headland or point, 
reaching far out into the lake twenty or thirty 
miles away, and say : 

“ Yoyageur, old dog, do you see that point so 
far away? There is our next stopping-place. 
How for it, old fellow ! ” 

With a spring he was off. His work was to 
go in a straight line to the point indicated, and 
also to set the pace at which we were all to 
travel. 

I found among the dogs, that as we talked 


196 Hector, My Dog 

over the matter among ourselves, the common 
opinion was, that when Yoyageur led, more miles 
were traveled each day than when either Tom or 
Papanekis was at the front. 

To keep Yoyageur and his train in sight, there 
must be no loitering on the way by any of the 
dogs following. Indeed, some of the slower dogs 
were inclined to grumble at the great pace that 
Yoyageur set up. 

“ He don’t stop as often to light his pipe as do 
the guides,” said Koona. 

At this quaint remark we dogs all grinned with 
amusement. 

The idea of a dog smoking, and especially glum 
old Yoyageur, seemed so ridiculous, that it was 
some time before we could settle quietly down 
again. 

Then when we began thinking it over, we saw 
that there was a good deal of force in Koona’s 
odd words. 

We remembered that the frequent rests or 
“ smokes” as they were called by some, were 
quite frequent in the long stretches, when a guide 
who was fond of his pipe was leading. Then we 
dogs rested while the men smoked. 

How that Yoyageur led, there were no calls for 
stopping for “ smokes ” until our master called to 
Yoyageur to stop. And as master did not smoke, 
he did not call for a halt until it was needed. 


On the Trail 


197 

At Montreal Point, and several other places, 
we dogs again rested, while our masters and the 
Indians had a fire made and food prepared. 

Towards evening, Tom, the guide, after a brief 
consultation with the master, took his place in 
front, and the journey was resumed. He speed- 
ily led us into the forest from the lake, and we 
tired dogs found the traveling in the deep, dry 
snow among the trees very much harder work 
than it was out on the frozen lake. 

Fortunately for us, he did not lead us very far 
into the dense forest before he suddenly stopped, 
and then as Yoyageur led up his train to the spot 
where he stood, he said something like this : 

“ Here is a capital place for a good camp ! 
Plenty of dry wood for the fire, and green spruce 
and balsam-trees to shelter us from any storm 
that may come up.” 

“All right, Tom; as usual, you have struck 
the right spot,” cheerily replied my master. 

Then for a time there was great excitement 
among us, as train after train reached the place. 

We dogs were speedily unharnessed, and it 
was a great relief to get the collars off our 
necks. Many of us rolled in the dry snow, and 
rubbed noses, and uttered the usual friendly com- 
pliments which pass between dogs well acquainted 
when they meet. 

I noticed, as I wandered about, that while 


198 Hector, My Dog 

young dogs, like myself, kept moving around, 
the older dogs looked out for sheltered places, 
and at once dug down through the snow, and 
then turned round and round until they had 
made quite cozy resting-places for themselves in 
the dry, fleecy snow. Then they lay down, and 
throwing their fine tails, which most of them had, 
over their faces, went to sleep, and there re- 
mained until called to their suppers by their 
drivers. 

While we dogs were thus free to act as we de- 
sired at the evening camp, our masters and the 
Indians were very busy, and as each night’s 
camp is very much alike, I will just here try 
to tell, as far as a dog could observe, what they 
did as each day’s trip ended. 

As Tom said to the master the first night : 
“Plenty of dry wood for the fire, and green 
spruce-trees to protect them from the trees.” 
So this was what was sought for at the close of 
each day’s journey. And as it was not always 
easy to find such a place, we had to pull the sleds 
many a weary mile ere Tom was satisfied. 

But when the spot was found that pleased him, 
everybody at once went to work. The master 
was as busy as were the others. Dry trees were 
cut down for the great fire. Snow-shoes were 
used as shovels, and the camp was prepared by 
the snow being piled up in great banks as walls, 


On the Trail 


199 

on three sides, while on the fourth side, a little 
in front, was the great fire of burning logs. On 
this hot fire the suppers of our masters and their 
men were prepared, and at one side of it the 
frozen fish were thawed out for the one meal of 
the day for us dogs. 

We dogs were always fed first. This at first 
very much surprised me, but it showed the love 
of our master for us. So it was a rule never 
broken, that no matter how hungry the men 
might be, and there were often long runs that 
had lasted many hours, where on the great frozen 
lakes where of course there was no dry wood 
where the kettle could be boiled, yet at the night 
camp they had to wait until we dogs were first 
fed. 

We were each given two white fish for our 
supper, which, as I have said, was the only meal 
of the day. At first, I, like the foolish dog that 
I was, thought as we were now doing such heavy 
work, we ought to have had something to eat in 
the morning ere we started on our long day’s 
work. Indeed, I was silly enough to brood over 
this until I began to feel that we were badly 
treated. 

One night, when some of us dogs were resting 
near together after our day’s work was done, I 
mentioned the matter to them. 

“You silly dog!” chorused a number of the 


200 


Hector, My Dog 

older dogs. “ If you should eat in the morning, 
you would be fit for nothing all day.” 

I did not believe them then, but I did soon 
after. Foolish dog that I was, I made up my 
mind to try and get a morning breakfast. 

Here my troubles began, for, of course, I had 
to steal it. But being part Eskimo in my blood, 
I had not much trouble in doing that. For as I 
prowled around, I noticed that Martin, my driver, 
having, I suppose, such confidence in the honesty 
of us, had, the previous evening, in taking out the 
necessary number of fish for our supper, only 
thrown back the deerskin coverings over the rest, 
without securely tying them down. So it was 
not difficult for me to cautiously skulk around the 
next morning, and without attracting any atten- 
tion from the sleeping men or tired dogs, work 
back the deerskin, and help myself to a fine fish. 

My ! but it was hard. How I could see how 
kind and thoughtful it was of our master to have 
our fish well thawed out before they were fed to 
us. 

This one I had stolen was so hard that it was 
almost impossible for me to cut into it with my 
sharp teeth. 

Then it did not seem to taste better than so 
much ice. But I had begun that fish, and I knew 
that I must finish it or I would get into trouble. 
It took me a long time and ere I was through with 


On the Trail 


201 


it, my mouth was bleeding, and I felt as cold as 
ice. Matters were not improved when, as I 
looked around, there I saw Martin my driver, 
looking at me. I saw he was disappointed in me, 
and also indignant. 

“ Your Eskimo blood will come out in spite of 
all the kindness shown you,” was about all he 
said. But, nevertheless, he caught me, and gave 
me a good whipping, which warmed me up con- 
siderably. 

That day I was in disgrace, and my train was 
set back far in the line, even behind the train of 
Koona, and the mischievous rascal gave full vent 
to his “ bow-wows ” of delight. At first I was 
very sorry to be so far back from my beloved 
master, and even behind Koona ; but before the 
day was over I was glad my master could not see 
me, for I was no good at all that day. I could 
hardly drag myself along. I was so short-winded 
and stupid. Well was it for me that Billy, Boxer 
and Buster, the other three dogs behind me, were 
strong and willing, for I hardly did anything 
more than keep my traces tight. 

That night I purposely went and lay down 
near some of the dogs with whom I had had the 
talk about morning meals, and told them of my 
experience that day. 

Some of them grinned, and said : 

“We tried the same plan, and learned the same 


202 


Hector, My Dog 

lesson that you have learned, that working dogs, 
when very busy, do their best work on the one 
evening meal of the day.” 

When Martin fed us that night, he gave me 
only one fish. The other, which should have 
been mine, he divided into three parts, and gave 
it to the three dogs that were behind me in the 
train, and that had done my work as well as their 
own that day. 

The next day, even Martin said something 
about hoping that I had learned my lesson, and 
to my great joy he put our train up again in its 
place near the front. 

The nights were very cold ; but when no storms 
were howling around us, there seemed to be any 
amount of pleasant chat and laughter among the 
two masters and their men, as they gathered 
around the great roaring camp-fire when they, as 
well as we dogs, had had their evening meal. 

So, while Yoyageur and the other unsociable 
dogs were settled down in their well-prepared 
nests in the snow, there were others of us who 
loved to sit around near the fire and listen to the 
merry talk, even if we did not understand much 
of it. 

But the work was heavy, and it was not long 
ere our heads began to nod, and we, too, were 
glad to cuddle down in the best spot we could 
find, and go to sleep. 


On the Trail 


203 


When the nights were more bitterly cold than 
usual, my good master would let me sleep on the 
warm fur robes that covered him, near to Jack 
and Cuffy, who being house dogs, always slept 
thus with him in the camp. I noticed that Jack 
always slept at our master’s back, while Cuffy 
preferred to sleep on the robes at his feet. 

I was much interested in watching the Indians 
each night caching or hiding away as many fish 
as they thawed out for us dogs at each camp-fire. 
“These fish thus hid away,” said some of the 
older dogs to me, “ are to be our food each night 
on our return journey, and the reason why our 
drivers are so particular in selecting their hiding- 
places, is to put them where the wolves will not 
find them.” 

As the days passed on, some of the dogs began 
to feel the ill effects of the very hard work and 
the bitter cold. It was hard work, indeed ; the 
hardest continuous work I had ever known. But 
our masters and drivers endured it, and so of 
course we dogs had to do our share. The worst 
part of it seemed to be the early starting in the 
morning. 

Long hours before daylight the men were up. 
They had slept in the camp near the master, each 
one wrapped up in a single rabbit-skin robe. 
When no fierce wolves howled around us, the 
fires had burned low, or even gone entirely out. 


204 


Hector, My Dog 

But it did not take these active men, even with 
no light but the stars, to speedily gather the 
wood and have a great camp-fire burning. The 
morning meal, for the masters and themselves, 
was speedily cooked by some of them, while 
others rearranged their sleds and harnessed up 
the dogs. 

It was now, in these cold, early hours, that I 
began to see the first signs of any of the dogs 
showing any sulkiness or disposition to shirk from 
their work. 

Some of them seemed to be strangely deaf, or 
even to forget their own names. Call as loudly 
as they would, the drivers would meet with no 
response from some of their dogs. The result 
was, they had to go after them, and even then it 
was no easy matter to find them, especially when 
the forest was dense, and there was no light but 
that from the snow and stars. Koona was one 
of the hardest to find, for he paid not the slight- 
est attention to his driver, and being perfectly 
white, and always making his bed in the spotless 
snow, he had to be almost stepped upon before 
he was found. As this was his usual habit, his 
driver, ere he lay down to sleep, observed where 
Koona had prepared his nest, and then in the 
morning was able to easily find him. 

It was not very long, however, before Koona 
found this out ; and so when all was still, and the 


On the Trail 


205 

men asleep, he quietly changed his resting-place, 
and so it was as difficult as ever to find him. 

This so annoyed his driver that one night after 
all had had their suppers and the men were sit- 
ting around the camp-fire, he went out and 
brought in Koona, and chilling a lot of the burn- 
ing coals in the snow, and then grinding them 
into coal dust, he blackened Koona from his nose 
to the end of his beautiful tail. So the driver 
the next morning, and the next, had no trouble 
in finding his dog ; and strange to stay, Koona 
never tried that trick again, but resorted to other 
expedients, and he had many of them, to outwit 
his driver. 


XVI 


ATTACKED BY WOLVES 

T HIS provoking habit of some of the tired 
dogs in refusing to respond when their 
names were called, at length became not 
only annoying, but at times quite a serious mat- 
ter, as it prevented the beginning of the journey 
as promptly as was desired. The fact that some 
of the dogs were now skulking every morning 
was very annoying to their drivers, and so they 
requested our master to have Jack help them to 
put a stop to what was now becoming a very 
serious matter. 

The master heartily agreed to their request, for 
he, too, was troubled by the delays. So to Jack 
was assigned the work of bringing these skulking 
dogs to time, and thoroughly and well did he do 
his work. 

As I was now permitted, whenever I desired it, 
to sleep in or near the camp, I was able to see the 
way in which Jack did his work. 

All that was necessary for the driver of the 
missing dogs to do was to bring to the master 
the collars of the truants. 

206 


Attacked by Wolves 207 

“Here, Jack!” the master would say. “Go 
and bring in the dog that wears this collar.” 

All that Jack had to do was to take one quick 
sniff at the collar, and then instantly he was off, 
plunging through the snow around the camp, 
until he got onto the scent of that skulking 
dog. 

It would not be long before we heard his fierce, 
roaring bark that told us that he had found the 
culprit, and was now driving him into the camp. 

The collar of another absentee would then be 
shown him, and speedily would that dog be 
found and hurried in to his driver. 

Jack soon became so clever at this work, that 
soon there was not much delay in securing the 
dogs. 

One morning, as the master saw me so much 
interested in watching Jack thus bringing in the 
skulkers, he said to me : 

“Well, Hector! Do you think you could do 
that kind of work ? ” 

Delighted to be thus even asked such a ques- 
tion, and conceited and ignorant as I was, I 
barked out my delight ; and so when my master 
put to my nose the collar of a missing dog, I in- 
stantly caught the scent, and away I went as fast 
as I could run to find him. 

I plunged on and on through the deep snow 
until a whiff of wind brought to me the scent of 


208 


Hector, My Dog 

that dog for which I was looking. Turning up 
against it, I soon ran against my dog. 

With all the assurance imaginable, I there 
tried to imitate Jack’s fierce bark, and sprang at 
him in an effort to drive him before me. 

But very suddenly my courage oozed out, as I 
found myself face to face with the biggest and 
fiercest dog in the train of my master’s friend. 

Without waiting for any further acquaintance, 
I turned instantly, and rushed back to the camp 
with that fierce dog at my heels. 

Fortunately for me, there stood my master and 
his friend, both of them laughing at my discom- 
fiture. 

One sharp, stern word from my master’s friend 
to his dog, suddenly stopped him, and thus I es- 
caped a much-deserved thrashing for my pre- 
sumption. 

I had, however, the satisfaction of hearing my 
master say as they continued to talk and laugh 
on the matter : 

“ Well, Hector brought him into the camp any- 
way, and so he did his work.” 

But I would rather have been behind him than 
in front, when we made our entry. After that 
experience I left this kind of work to Jack. 

Thus on and on we journeyed day after day. 
The ice at times was very rough, and our poor 
feet became very sore, and often bled so freely 


Attacked by Wolves 209 

that in places the trail was marked with 
blood. 

It was now that we felt the value of the warm 
woolen shoes which our thoughtful mistress had 
had old Mary and the Indian women make 
for us. 

They were so warm and comfortable, that 
after we became accustomed to them, we were 
ever eager to have our drivers put them on 
to our sore, cold feet. Indeed, so eager had we 
become for them, that I fear that there were 
times that we begged and called for them, when 
we could have done without them. 

One night we were thrown into a state of great 
excitement by the distant howlings of some 
wolves. The dogs that were sleeping some dis- 
tance from the camp, came rushing in in a great 
hurry. They were very much excited, and nearly 
all of them showed by their trembling that they 
were in great fear of those savage creatures. 

Our party was such a large one, and so well 
prepared for such an attack as this, that there 
was no fear on the part of any one. The master 
did not even order the fire to be circled round the 
camp, as would have been done if our party had 
been a small one. 

The guide and drivers were, however, all set to 
work to prepare a place near the fire, sufficiently 
large in which all of the dogs could be gathered. 


210 


Hector, My Dog 

This place was additionally strengthened by the 
sleds all being placed around it. 

With abundance of wood to keep the one large 
fire burning brightly, and with rifles and loaded 
guns, our masters and their men patiently awaited 
the oncoming of the wolves. 

There were not many of them, and so they were 
at first more cautious than a larger pack would 
have been. 

We dogs at first could not make out for some 
time what they were doing, as their howlings 
had ceased when they came near our camp. But 
as the wind was blowing, we soon detected by 
their scent which came to us, that they were 
circling around us ; I suppose, to see if there was 
any weak place where they could rush up to us 
with any chance of success. 

Whenever a strong whiff of their scent came on 
the wind to us, I noticed that Nelson and Black 
and some of the other dogs that had had en- 
counters with them, trembled very much. 

But our master’s eye was upon us all : and he 
was quick to detect these signs of fear, and so 
with kindly, reassuring words and some loving 
caresses of his hand, as he came and moved 
among us, he quieted us all down, so that we did 
not even reply to the saucy challenges of the 
wolves. 

Jack and Cuffy, that were as usual in the 


Attacked by Wolves 21 1 

master’s camp near to him, were very alert and 
watchful. 

We dogs had sometimes wondered what sort 
of a battle it would be if ever Jack and a great 
northern gray wolf should have an encounter. 
There were times when there could have been 
such a battle, but the master thought too much 
of the splendid dog, and so the bullet, and not 
Jack, quickly ended the wolfs career. 

While the wolves were now more cautiously 
approaching, I thought I understood in the quiet 
conversation that went on between our masters 
and the Indians, the question of urging the whole 
of our dogs to rush out and attack the wolves 
after the first volley had been fired among them. 

When my master, who had been quiet until 
others had spoken, did speak, his words were 
strong and emphatic against the idea. He said : 

“We are not here as wolf hunters. Our dogs 
are tired with the days of heavy traveling. 
Many of them have sore feet. Others of them 
bear marks of previous battles with wolves. 
Even if they should conquer, a number of them 
may be badly wounded, and thus unfitted for our 
work. There must be no battle between the dogs 
and the wolves to-night. One volley from your 
guns will doubtless drive those that survive the 
bullets howling back to the forest.” 

Our master’s word was law, and so we dogs 


212 Hector, My Dog 

were, much to my delight, kept very quiet in the 
camp. 

I was fearfully frightened, for I remembered 
not only the stories of Nelson and Black, but 
also what my mother told me when I was a lit- 
tle puppy, cuddled with my brothers in the 
deserted goose-nest in the forest. 

“ Lie down! ” sternly said our master. 

This word of command was now sorely needed, 
for in spite of his soothing words and even caresses 
of a short time before, there were some of the 
more nervous dogs that found it almost impossible 
to keep still. They really acted as though they 
would like to dash out of the camp in the opposite 
direction from that in which the wolves were 
evidently approaching. 

When the wolves reached a place just out of 
the range of our masters’ guns, there they halted 
and seemed disposed to remain. 

To Tom, our guide, who was a famous hunter, 
and well knew the habits of wolves, was given 
the place of danger, and that was to go out some 
distance from the camp towards the wolves, and 
there, standing up on a snow-covered log, where 
the light of the camp-fire clearly shone upon him, 
let himself be plainly seen by the wolves. 

There he was to attract their attention by his 
shouts, and then, as though filled with fear, turn 
and rush back to the camp. 


Attacked by Wolves 213 

The ruse succeeded admirably. The sight of 
but one unarmed man in rapid retreat, and his 
cry of fear, seemed to cause the generally cunning 
brutes to lose their caution, and so with howls of 
anticipated triumph, they rapidly followed Tom 
quite close up to the camp. 

The guide had no sooner jumped into the camp 
and taken his place and seized his gun, than, at 
the arranged signal given by the master, the guns, 
not altogether, but in quick succession, were 
fired, as no man wished to waste a bullet on a 
wolf already hit. 

We dogs, that had been so sternly ordered to 
keep quiet, were very much excited, as the wolves 
made their wild rush towards the camp after our 
guide, whose shouts we had not been able at first 
to understand. The rapid firing of the guns 
nearly deafened us, and we could only crouch 
down in terror. 

But very suddenly our fears were gone. For 
we dogs perhaps better understand the language 
of wolves than do our masters, and so when 
quickly after the noise of the firing of the guns 
we heard the howls of pain and rage and disap- 
pointment of the wolves, we knew that the dan- 
ger was over. 

As rapidly as possible the men kept loading 
their guns, and firing at any w T olf within range. 

With the disappearance of the few that had not 


214 


Hector, My Dog 

been hit or badly wounded, my comrades and 
myself were very much delighted, and felt our- 
selves to be ready for anything. 

It was well for us that our masters and 
drivers were wiser than we dogs were. We were 
wild and eager to rush out and see the wolves 
that had been shot. This our masters would not 
permit until the men had reloaded their guns, and 
with blazing torches had gone out first. 

It was well that they did this, as they found 
some of the wolves, although badly wounded, 
yet able to fight most desperately. 

After we had heard the firing of a few guns, 
we were allowed to go out and see the once 
fierce brutes, now powerless to injure us. 

Nelson, however, would not go near them. 
He remembered how one that had been pretend- 
ing to be dead had suddenly sprung up and 
snapped off the greater part of his tail. 

The men allowed us dogs to look at the wolves 
for a time to quiet us. Then they sternly 
ordered us all off to our beds again. From where 
I slept, or pretended to, I saw that the men slept 
but little that night. They were very busily en_ 
gaged in skinning those wolves. The skins they 
rolled up into as small bundles as possible. 

In the morning, when they had frozen solid, 
they were packed upon our sleds, and dragged 
by us dogs to Fort Garry. 


Attacked by Wolves 215 

We understood our master to say that there 
was one apiece for each dog-driver and the guide. 
We also heard later on that they sold them to 
John Company at Fort Garry, and were quite 
proud of the nice things they got for them to 
carry home to their families. 

We were late in starting the next morning, 
owing to the attack upon our camp by the wolves. 
We all felt the loss of our sleep, and so there was 
not much said by masters or drivers. 

The only bit of excitement that came to us 
that day, was when we were speeding on over 
the frozen lake some miles out from shore. There 
were numbers of heavily wooded islands on 
either side of us, and when near them we saw 
that they were fairly well stocked with rabbits. 

When passing between two of these islands we 
saw a beautiful black fox come out from among 
the evergreen trees, on one of these islands, and 
after looking at us for a minute or so, he started 
off on a leisurely gallop ahead of us. 

The sight of him much excited us dogs ; but 
harnessed up as we were to our loaded sleds, we 
could not catch him. This he seemed to know, 
and so he saucily galloped on ahead of us for 
miles, and then after vexing us with some of his 
foxy yelps, he turned off and disappeared in one 
of the densely covered islands. 

Thus on and on we traveled day after day. 


2l6 


Hector, My Dog 

Every night the men hid away a quantity of the 
frozen fish for us to have as our suppers on the 
return journey. 

The attack of the wolves upon us showed that 
they were alert and active, and so we dogs heard 
the men saying that they feared that in spite of 
all their care in hiding away the fish, there was a 
good deal of danger that the wolves would dis- 
cover and so devour them. 

“ Jack ! Jack ! What is the matter ? ” 

In dog language I found myself one night thus 
calling out to my big trusty friend that was sleep- 
ing not far from me in the camp. 

A heavy fall of snow had come down upon us 
one night after we had gone to sleep. 

With a start I had suddenly awoke to find m}^ 
self nearly buried in the snow. 

Jack’s quick ears had heard my frightened 
question, and so knowing by experience what was 
best to do, he said in quiet tones : 

“ Keep perfectly still, Hector, where you are. 
You are better off than you will be if you move 
around, and thus let the snow which is on top of 
you get under you.” 

This was good advice on the part of Jack, for 
under me was part of a warm buffalo robe on 
which I was resting very comfortably, and so 
even what little dog sense I had was sufficient to 
show me that if I got up and shook myself, there 


Attacked by Wolves 217 

was sufficient snow on me to completely ruin my 
bed. 

Reassured thus by Jack that there was no im- 
mediate danger, I cuddled down as well as I 
could in my resting-place, and soon went to sleep, 
even if there was, as I afterwards learned, over 
two feet of snow on us all. 

Men and dogs and sleds and everything else 
were all covered with snow, that when my first 
fears about it were allayed by Jack’s reassuring 
words, I found really added to my comfort. 

It was so light and feathery that we could 
easily breathe through it, and the air around us 
was so cold that this snow did not melt upon us. 
Neither did it melt upon the robes or blankets of 
our masters or dog-drivers, but we heard them 
say it very much added to their comfort and 
warmth. 

We all found, both men and dogs, that the 
worst time was the getting up. The snow was 
very deep, and it was so difficult to move 
about. 

But a few cheery words from our masters sent 
us dogs so gamboling and playing about, that we 
soon packed down a good deal of it near the 
camp. 

Our active men brought up amidst such things 
speedily set to work ; and using their big snow- 
shoes as shovels, they soon cleared away most of 


218 Hector, My Dog 

the snow out of the camp, and from the spot 
where the fires had been smothered out. 

A great fire was speedily rekindled, and soon 
the place looked as bright and cheery as ever. 
So even a camp in the woods is not such a bad 
place after all, when the men are kind-hearted 
and the dogs do their work. 


XVII 


FORT GARRY AND WINNIPEG 

W HEN" we emerged the next morning 
from the dense forest in which we had 
slept that night out on to the great 
lake, and resumed our journey, we were in the 
great storm which was now a first-class blizzard. 

It was indeed a dreadful storm, and one full of 
danger.* 

It rolled along the surface of the lake like a 
great dense cloud, and it seemed to howl like a 
great savage beast that was anxious to devour us. 
It came directly from the north as a fierce, strong 
wind, and just lifted up and drove on with it the 
great fall of snow of the previous night. If it 
had been merely the high wind roaring by over 
the hard ic} r surface of Lake Winnipeg, we would 
not so have dreaded it. But as it roared along 
and lifted up the enormous snowfall, making it 
impossible for men or dogs to see many yards 
ahead, we saw in this its danger. The only rea- 
son why our master and the guide decided that 
we might venture to resume our journey was the 
fact that the wind was behind us and would 
really help us on. 


219 


220 


Hector, My Dog 

Fortunately for us dogs and men, we had in 
our party those who had often been in these ter- 
rible blizzards, and so aware of their dangerous, 
treacherous character, knew well how to act. 

Our seven trains, of four dogs each, were six 
of them doubled up, the odd train was the mas- 
ter’s, in front, with Voyageur in the lead. The 
other six trains, side by side in twos, followed 
up after. 

The train in which I was leading was one of 
the first pair, and so I was close up at one side of 
the cariole in which was my loved master, and 
many a cheery word he said to me. 

All of the trains were tied together, and even 
some of the drivers slipped through their belt 
the tail rope of a sled, as it would have been 
death to any one who, wandering a few yards 
away from the company, could not find his way 
back. 

Tom, the guide, ran along beside Yoyageur, and 
Martin took charge of the master’s cariole. The 
other drivers had but little to do, as the trains 
were so massed together. 

With roarings and shriekings that were far 
louder than any howlings of the fiercest pack of 
wolves, the terrible blizzard storm passed over us. 

Sometimes the quantity of snow that was 
hurled at us seemed as though it would really 
bury us. Then sharp and stern were the com- 





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STORM PASSED OVER 


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Fort Garry and Winnipeg 221 

mancls of the drivers, who well knew our danger 
if there should be a panic, or we should get dis- 
couraged in our struggles in the deep as well as 
driving snow. 

My master’s cheery voice, and the pat of his 
fur-covered hand on my head, as I struggled 
alongside of his cariole, was all that I needed to 
save me from any fear. 

I have often thought over and pondered about 
how or why it is that we dogs give ourselves 
so completely up to our masters. At a kind look 
or a loving word we are their slaves to live and 
die for them. And as here in this awful blizzard, 
in danger of death, if we hear their voices of 
cheer and encouragement, we lose all fear, and 
in their courage we are brave, and in their con- 
fidence we lose all anxiety. Who can explain all 
this ? I am only a dog, and so while I know all 
this is true, I cannot understand it. 

I have often talked this matter over with other 
dogs, and to those of them who are wise enough 
to ponder over such questions, it has been to them 
a subject beyond their grasp. But we have all 
come to this conclusion, that if men only knew 
how willing and anxious we were to please them 
and to be ever loyal and true to them whom we 
love to call our masters, they would be more 1 
patient with us, remembering we are only dogs, 
after all, and are sometimes slow to understand 


222 


Hector, My Dog 

their meaning. Then, because we do not always 
know what they want us to do, they call us sulky 
and headstrong, and punish us when we really 
do not deserve it. 

The blizzard raged with such fury that day 
that it blew itself out before night. That is, all 
the light dry snow was lifted olf the ice before 
the daylight ended, and then although the high 
wind still blew fiercely, as the snow was all gone, 
the great lake was smooth and hard again, and 
with the wind behind us, we made great progress 
until we reached the place where Tom found a 
good camp. But the masters and the Indians 
had nothing to eat from morning until night, as 
the blizzard would not let us stop for a 
meal. 

At one of our camps the rabbits were very 
numerous, and so, although we were very tired, 
some of us younger dogs started off on a rabbit 
hunt. We succeeded in getting very near to a 
number of them, but they were too clever for us, 
and we still had to be content with fish for sup- 
per. 

At a place called Willow Islands, Tom, the 
guide, took his place again at the front as we 
here left the great lake and struck into the forest. 
He led us on and on for many miles, and then we 
young dogs, who had never been on such a trip 
before, were startled when we arrived at a place 


Fort Garry and Winnipeg 223 

where there were large houses and white people 
as well as Indians. 

What most amazed us was to meet on the hard, 
well-beaten trail which we had now struck, 
strange wood sleds that were drawn by great 
large creatures that they called horses. At first 
we dogs were very much frightened at the sight 
of them, for if they had been fierce like wolves 
we would soon have been destroyed, for they 
were so large. 

We did not stop on the way until we reached 
the biggest place I ever saw. We heard our 
master call it the Lower Fort. 

We saw our masters kindly welcomed by a 
white master whom they called Mr. Flett. After 
he had talked to our masters, and had some men 
take them and their things into the great big 
house, Mr. Flett turned to some Indians there and 
told them to take us to his kennels, and see that 
we were well treated. The guide and drivers 
were all well cared for. 

It was very pleasant for us to be once more 
well sheltered in warm kennels. 

Our drivers prepared melted tallow, and care- 
fully rubbed it over our sore, bleeding feet. Then 
they pulled on warm new flannel dog-shoes, and 
told us that we were to have two or three days’ 
rest ere our master made the run of twenty miles 
to Fort Garry. 


224 


Hector, My Dog 

When we had our supper that night, it was of 
beef, which Mr. Flett had given to our master in 
exchange for a lot of our good white fish. My ! 
but it tasted good. 

We had queer times at Fort Garry, or rather at 
the little village of Winnipeg, as the people had 
then begun to call it. Jack and Cuffy were sent 
off on a visit somewhere, and the rest of us dogs 
were left by our masters in charge of a man who 
had a stable in which he tried to keep us. 

The first day or two we were quiet enough, 
because we were not only still tired, but footsore, 
as the result of our heavy trip of about four 
hundred miles. 

We were also upset and dazed by the number 
of people we saw at the many houses and sleds, 
and the noise and stir, so different from the quiet, 
lonely life of the far-away land where we lived. 
So while all these things, so very different from 
what we had been accustomed to, excited us, 
they also at first quieted us, and we remained in 
the stable together and behaved ourselves. 

Our good master had given strict orders that 
we should be well fed, as they wanted us to be 
in the finest condition for the return journey. 

The first day or two this was done, and always 
when our masters were present. But we dogs 
were not such fools but that we noticed that 
when neither of our masters were present that we 


Fort Garry and Winnipeg 225 

did not get more than half of our usual allowance 
of food, and then it was some boiled up stuff in- 
stead of the good meat which our masters had 
promised to pay for. 

So it was not long until we began, in dog 
fashion, to talk it over and even to grumble. 
Then soon after the trouble commenced. The 
first thing we did that caused a row was to cut 
through a door with our teeth into a room, off 
the one in which we were kept, and there 
speedily pull down and devour some large pieces 
of beef and mutton that we believed had been 
kept from us. 

The owner of it was the man who was supposed 
to be well feeding us. He was furious at the 
loss of his meat, but our masters declared that we 
must have done it because he had been neglecting 
us, and we were hungry. 

Fortunately the Indian boy whom this stingy 
man had had to help him, and who knew how 
poorly we had been treated, spoke up and said it 
was true ; that when they, the masters, were not 
present we were fed but little, and that not so 
good as the man was being paid for. 

This made our masters indignant, so they took 
us to another place where we were better treated. 

But a spirit of mischief had got into us, and I 
am afraid we gave a lot of anxiety to our kind 
masters as well as to others. Also it was said we 


226 


Hector, My Dog 

afforded much amusement to many others, and 
even set the whole village of Winnipeg laughing 
about us. 

One of the first things we did was, one fore- 
noon, to break out of our quarters, which was an 
old disused log house. We all marched down into 
the village, full of excitement. One of the first 
things that attracted our attention, and won our 
admiration and delight, was the sight of a large 
butcher’s shop with a number of great pieces of 
beef and mutton and other meat hanging up in 
the front. The sight of so much meat, the 
greatest quantity we had ever seen in our lives, 
filled us with great delight. My ! but it was 
wonderful. And so we just gathered round, the 
whole twenty-six of us, and there we sat upon our 
haunches, and just howled out our delight. We 
gave the Eskimo dog chorus, and every other dog 
chorus of which we knew anything. 

At first we saw nothing else but that wonder- 
ful display of meat, the abundance of which even 
in our finest dreams, when we had dreamed of 
plenty, we had never even then realized. Then 
we found, as we looked about us, that the street 
was filling up with men who were running to- 
wards us in every direction. But we took no 
notice of them, and howled away in our great de- 
light. 

At first some of the men seemed by their words 


Fort Garry and Winnipeg 227 

to be angry and excited, but soon they burst out 
laughing, and they laughed about as much as we 
howled. 

They seemed at first surprised that such a 
company of great dogs were merely content to 
howl (of course we were). But we were not 
hungry, and we had our enjoyment in the very 
sight of so much meat. 

How long this would have continued or what 
we would have done next I do not know. But what 
happened was this ; the owner of all this meat, 
whom I think I heard them call a butcher, was a 
great friend of our masters’, and so, as he knew 
where they were, he went immediately for them, 
and told them what a great crowd of people were 
fairly blocking up the street laughing at their 
dogs, that were giving a dog concert in front of 
his shop. 

Even our masters had a great laugh at us. 
Then they ordered us to follow them back to our 
quarters. 

But the spirit of adventure was in us, and in 
spite of all the man in charge of us could do, we 
got out about every second day, and we did in- 
deed make things lively. 

When people saw us coming (for we dogs all 
kept well together) they would shout : 

“ Here they come ! ” 

And they would gather and watch us at our 


228 Hector, My Dog 

various tricks as we practically took possession of 
the village. 

One day, when by gnawing in relays, we had 
eaten through the door of the house and 
got out, we found the village quite empty of 
people. Even the butcher’s shop, which of course 
we visited every time we were able to escape 
from our keeper, was closed, and we hardly knew 
what to do with ourselves. 

As we were wandering thus along one of the 
streets, we came on the scent of our masters, and 
so as we had not seen them for some days, with 
a rush we dashed off along the trail until we 
came to a fine house, into which, we knew by the 
scent, they had entered. The door was shut, and 
so for a time we had to stay outside. Then there 
came along a couple of good, kind boys who, per- 
haps knowing that we wanted to see our masters 
who were inside, very quietly opened the door 
and then ran away. In we filed, climbing over 
each other in that narrow door in our eagerness 
to get in and see our masters. 

But my ! What a time there was inside ! At 
the other end of that house, which we found after- 
wards, they called a church, we saw our masters. 
In our joy we only saw them at first, although 
there were hundreds of other people who were 
sitting in rows all about us. So at the sight of our 
masters sitting up on a kind of a platform at the 


Fort Garry and Winnipeg 229 

other end, we set up our barkings of delight, and 
crowded up the trail towards them. 

My ! but there was a sensation ! 

Some women screamed, and some men cried : 
“ Put out those dogs ! ” But most of the people 
laughed, and we liked these the best. 

One foolish man tried to put out the dog that 
was nearest the door, but he soon stopped that 
work, and went off for a doctor. 

There were only two men in that house who 
could put us out, and they were our masters, and 
while we were “ bow-wowing ” out our delight at 
seeing them, they were quickly putting on their 
heavy coats and fur caps, and then they came and 
met us in about the middle of that room, and 
while they tried to speak sternly to us and pre- 
tended to be cross, we knew them well enough to 
know that they were both shaking with laughter. 

So they quickly called us out, and took us back 
to our lodgings. 

When they had us back in the log-building, 
they just laughed until we were afraid they would 
hurt themselves. 

And when they left us we heard them saying : 
“ There is no use in going back to church to- 
day.” 

What they meant of course we dogs knew not. 

Thus the days passed by, and we had good 
times. 


230 


Hector, My Dog 

We were fed on beef and mutton by the man 
who had us dogs in charge, and as he was a great 
friend of our masters’, he did not stint us in our 
food, but gave us all we could eat. 

All that troubled him was that he was not able 
to keep us in that old house set apart for our 
home while in his charge. Do what he would, 
we were able in some way or other to get out 
of it. 


XVIII 


THE KEEPERS OUTWITTED 

O NE morning, quite early, we managed to 
get out of our house by moving some 
short logs that had been set up between 
two windows. We started off on the run, and 
had a good time frolicking about and tumbling 
each other over in the snow. 

This morning w r e wandered off in another di- 
rection from any that we had previously taken. 
This route soon led us quite outside of the vil- 
lage. 

To our surprise, we came near to quite a num- 
ber of white woolly animals, the like of which we 
younger dogs had never seen before. But some 
of the older dogs that had traveled more than 
others of us, had told us that these queer-looking 
creatures that looked like bundles of white wool, 
■were sheep that made the nice mutton of which 
we were all so fond. They also told us that they 
were very gentle, timid creatures. That they 
never fought like the fierce wolves or bears, and 
were raised for their wool and mutton, and that 
perhaps these before us were being driven out to 
some place to be turned into meat. 

231 


232 


Hector, My Dog 

This all very much interested us younger dogs, 
so away we hurried towards them, that we might 
have a good look at them. 

They were not at all friendly to us, and it 
quite surprised us that they did not know what 
good dogs we were, and that we were just anx- 
ious to make their acquaintance. The fact was, 
while we tried to say in our friendliest way : 
“ Bow-wow,” “ How do you do ! ” they actually 
began to run away from us. This made us feel 
very badly, and so we began to run after them 
then, to tell them what dear, nice dogs we were. 
But run they would, and did. 

At first they were all together in one company, 
but when they commenced running they began 
to break up in little parties, and some turned 
down one trail and some another. 

We now saw what we had not noticed before, 
and that was that there had been a couple of men 
and two or three dogs behind them. To our de- 
light, we saw that one of the men was the 
butcher at whose shop-door we had so often gone 
and howled out our delight at seeing so much 
meat. As he had become very friendly with us 
and had often talked to us as we sat and looked 
at his meat, we surely thought he would be glad 
to see us here, and so we rushed through the 
sheep that were still before him. 

My ! but he was angry, and said lots of strong 


The Keepers Outwitted 233 

words. But we never thought then that it was 
at us he was so cross. And so while we were 
wondering what was the matter, we saw that his 
dogs were running after the sheep and trying to 
turn them this way and that way, and even nip- 
ping at their hind legs, so we thought the butcher 
was angry at his dogs that were thus cruelly 
chasing the dear sheep, that gave us the nice 
mutton. That was enough for us, and so away 
we rushed after those dogs, and as we caught 
them one after another, we gave them such a 
shaking that they did not want to chase sheep 
that day any more. 

Then we ran back to the butcher to let him 
know how we had served the dogs that had. 
chased the sheep. 

How queer it is, that often do the best you can, 
you only get abuse for it. 

That butcher man was so angry that he even 
shook his fist at us, and his words seemed stronger 
than ever. 

Some men now came running towards the 
butcher in answer to his calls. With one of them 
he had some talk, and in it was heard the men- 
tion of our masters’ names. Then that man hur- 
ried away, while we poor innocent dogs there 
gathered in the road wondering what was the 
matter with the butcher, who had generally been 
so kind to us, but who now seemed so angry at 


234 


Hector, My Dog 

us as in cross tones he talked to some other men 
who had joined him. He even dared, while he 
thus talked, to shake his big stick at us, but he 
knew better than to strike one of us. We would 
have made it lively for him if he had. 

To our great delight we saw our masters 
rapidly coming towards us. We of course 
dashed off in a hurry for the usual cheery greet- 
ings, but were met with nothing but cold, stern 
words of reproof. 

Well I never ! We dogs could not understand 
it. 

Here we had tried to be as friendly as possible 
with both men and sheep. So much so, that we 
nearly killed the dogs that were chasing them, 
and all we got was reproofs and sharp words, 
and then were taken back to our house in dis- 
grace. 

When our masters had us once more fastened 
up in that log-house, they gave us a lecture that 
showed us what fools even dogs could be, when 
they interfered where they had no business, and 
with things of which they were ignorant. They 
made us feel ashamed of ourselves when we 
learned that even those very dogs, so much 
smaller than we, were only trying to do their 
duty in striving to gather the poor frightened 
sheep together that had been scattered by our 
conduct. But it seems hard for us dogs anyway 


The Keepers Outwitted 235 

to get to know that we don’t know every- 
thing. 

One day we got into such thorough and com- 
plete disgrace that we had to be banished from 
Winnipeg, and sent down to the Indian settle- 
ment below the stone fort, and put in charge of 
our Indian drivers, who were there visiting their 
Indian friends. 

I am sorry to say they were none too well 
pleased to see us. They knew we would make 
things lively even there, if we got the chance. 

But our adventure that banished us dogs from 
Winnipeg was this. 

It occurred in this way : and I am sure we 
dogs did not mean any harm. 

We had been too much for our keeper, and had 
got out again. How, we promised not to tell. 
As we were tearing down one of the streets, we 
met a man carrying in his hand a leg of mutton. 
Of course we dogs all wanted to have a smell of 
it, and so at him we rushed. The silly fellow 
instead of holding it up and letting us pass in a 
row before him and each get a good smell, got 
so frightened as he saw us coming, that he let 
out a great yell that sounded like: “ Police, 
police.” Then, throwing the leg of mutton 
among us, he turned and ran, yelling as though 
we were a pack of wolves instead of a lot of 
nice dogs. 


236 Hector, My Dog 

Well, of course when that mutton fell among 
us, each one of us wanted to have the honor and 
pleasure of picking it up and carrying it back to 
its owner and telling him that he had dropped 
something. The trouble was that we were all so 
very anxious to do the decent thing, that as many 
of us as possible fixed our teeth into it, and as 
none would yield to the other, the meat itself 
quickly fell into pieces and mysteriously disap- 
peared. 

Buster, who had been taught to fetch and 
carry things, seeing the owner now returning 
with a big officious man, whom we afterwards 
heard was called a policeman, picked up the bone, 
which was all that was left of the leg of mutton, 
and followed by the rest of us, advanced with it 
to its owner. 

What followed I can hardly well describe. 
But it seemed to me that that policeman with a 
short club hit Buster, who was so kindly bringing 
back the bone to its owner. 

His one cry of pain was enough for us, and we 
were all there at once. Down went that police- 
man in the snow, and as we piled on him and 
rolled him over, his cries of : 

“ Help ! help ! ” soon brought a crowd of peo- 
ple ; among them our masters. 

Their stern, strong words showed us that we 
were in complete disgrace. 


The Keepers Outwitted 237 

That night, as I have said, we were banished 
from the village of Winnipeg, and only saw it 
again for a couple of days when our drivers 
brought us up for our heavy loads. 

We made it hot for our drivers during the few 
days we were in the Indian settlement. This 
was what they said to our masters when they 
met in Winnipeg. 

Yet we dogs hardly knew what they meant 
when they said we made it hot for them, for it 
was very cold weather. 

We dogs were of course annoyed when we 
were sent out of Winnipeg in disgrace. We did 
have such a good time there ; and we had just 
begun to see that the people were becoming very 
fond of us. 

We were also well-treated in the Indian settle- 
ment. Arrangements had been made that we 
should have all the beef we needed, but we got 
no more mutton. 

Our drivers hired an old disused Indian house, 
and in it they threw a load of dry hay which 
they purchased from a farmer. So our beds were 
comfortable, and no dog could complain of bad 
treatment. 

We had, however, so got into the habit of 
breaking out of our house in Winnipeg and roam- 
ing about as we liked, and had had such jolly 
times, that now we could not bear the idea of 


238 Hector, My Dog 

here being kept housed up in the Indian settle- 
ment. We knew that our drivers would be 
harder on us than were our masters, and so we 
had to be a bit careful. They must have heard 
in some way of how we had acted in Winnipeg, 
and so were on the lookout for us, even from the 
first. 

That this was really the case we found out the 
first night after our arrival. 

Koona and some others of us, in moving around 
in our quarters, just merely pulled down some 
boards that had been loosely nailed up to a place 
where there had been a window. Then we de- 
cided that we would go out for a quiet walk, and 
while we were going, who should suddenly spring 
up just there outside, but a couple of our drivers. 

My ! what a fright they did give us. 

And then they had with them their great big 
whips, and the way they used them on us inno- 
cent dogs, who were just stepping out for a walk, 
was dreadful. 

We felt very much offended as well as hurt, 
and so yelped out our indignation and grief as 
Ave speedily crawled back into that old house. 
Then as though to show that they had no 
confidence in us, Avhich very much hurt our feel- 
ings, they came in with long nails and a large 
axe, and there that very night, while one held a 
lantern anji the other man, there right before 


The Keepers Outwitted 239 

our eyes, nailed on those boards to the big 
logs. 

It was very humiliating. We dogs felt very 
much hurt and offended. 

As though we would try the second time the 
same night to get out ! 

“ There ! ” said one to the other. And as 
they talked in Indian, of course we understood 
them. 

“ There ! that was the only weak place about 
the house, of which I was suspicious. And now 
we have made it tight and firm we can go to bed 
in peace. We have them shut in securely now, 
and no mistake.” 

Had they ? Well, we will see. 

When we understood that they said they were 
soon going to bed, we just heard it and resolved 
to see that they really did before we made much 
of a move. So we kept quiet for some time, and 
then soon after we were greatly amused by our 
drivers noiselessly coming back and listening at 
the door to try and find out if we were again up 
to any mischief. 

That was really the silliest thing that we dogs 
ever knew clever Indians to do. 

As though we dogs did not know by the scent 
of them that they were there ! 

Of course we did, and so we just sank down in 


240 Hector, My Dog 

the hay where we were, and pretended to be fast 
asleep. 

Such an amount of dog snoring you never 
heard. I was really afraid that we were over- 
doing it, and would thus be found out. 

They listened to us for quite a time, and then 
one whispered to the other the one Indian word 
“ Auxannie,” which means “ all right.” 

Then they noiselessly flitted away back to the 
little houses near to each other where they were 
visiting, one in each house. 

The little lights in the two houses were soon 
put out, and then all was dark and quiet, and we 
dogs knew that those Indians had been com- 
pletely outwitted, and that we would not be 
bothered with them for some hours at least. 

As we moved around in the place we found out 
that the boards which made the floor under us 
were quite loose. The load of hay which had 
been thrown in for our beds had, we now saw, 
not only been brought for our comfort, but also 
to hold down in their place these loose boards. 

So from one side of the room we very quickly 
pushed aside enough of the hay in order that we 
might get hold of the first of the boards and then 
turn it over. They were so easily managed, that 
in a short time we had a number of them turned 
back on the hay, and a place thus opened quite 
wide enough for us all to get through. But now 


The Keepers Outwitted 241 

we were uncertain what to do, as it was so very 
dark in that hole, and we did not know how deep 
it was. 

While we were cautiously moving around and 
in our dog-language talking and wondering what 
we could do next, Koona, much to his terror, 
but to our delight, tumbled into somewhere be- 
low. 

We all expected the coward to yell out, but 
strange to say he did not even yelp. 

For a time we could neither see nor hear any- 
thing of him. Then one of his train leaned over 
and whispered his name. 

“ Be quiet ! ” answered Koona. “ I am in the 
cellar, and am looking for a place where we can 
get out.” 

I confess I was a bit uneasy, but we all kept 
quiet and as many of us as could peered down 
into the darkness. By and by our eyes got 
accustomed, as dogs’ eyes do, to the darkness, and 
we saw Koona, with all of his Eskimo cleverness, 
studying every part of the cellar. He had at 
length found out where an old door stood up at 
one side, and on peeking through the cracks of 
it, he discovered that the earth had there been 
dragged away, and so if he could get through the 
door, we would be free. 

He first tried it with his teeth, but as he was 
not able to move it alone, he asked the other three 


242 


Hector, My Dog 

dogs of his train to come down and help him. 
They quickly jumped down, and great was the 
delight of the rest of us, as we saw that door, 
which they found was only held in its place by 
the frost at the bottom, yield to their strong 
teeth, as they all pulled at it together. 

We all very silently and yet quickly jumped 
down, and struggling through a snowdrift that 
the wind had piled up against the house, we were 
once more free, and ready for any fun or mischief 
that would turn up. 

One thing we did speedily decide upon, and 
that was to get as far away as possible in the 
settlement from those two watchful drivers. We 
had had our eyes open as we rapidly galloped 
through the settlement on our trip in from the 
north, and so as quickly as possible we hurried 
out to that well-beaten trail that ran through the 
centre, with the houses on each side. We did 
not dare to yelp or bark until we were a good 
way off from those two little houses in which 
our drivers were sleeping. 

It was still far from daylight, and so we had 
but little sport except what we got up among our- 
selves, and we could generally get a lot of that 
when we tried. 

Among other things, we got up a great race 
to a bit of woods which we saw some distance 
down the trail. When we reached it, we there 


The Keepers Outwitted 243 

found a small camp-fire and a couple of men and 
two trains of dogs. 

We afterwards heard that they had just come 
in from a place called Fort Alexander with letters 
and despatches for Fort Garry. 

They were resting here for a few hours, and 
would then go on as soon as it was light, as those 
that carry the mail are always expected to travel 
as fast as possible. 

When we saw that they were travelers, even as 
we had been, we did not wish to disturb them, 
but only to get a good look at them. So we just 
rushed up to their camp-fire and barked our wel- 
comes and greetings. The men, who had been 
sleeping soundly, were suddenly aroused by our 
clamors, and I am afraid were terribly fright- 
ened. 

Their eight dogs, that had been resting near 
their masters, were at first inclined to growl at 
us and show fight ; but when they saw what a lot 
of us there were, they, too, became very much 
frightened, and tucking their tails between their 
hind legs, they scooted off into the darkest part 
of the forest. 

When we dogs saw this, we were sorry that 
we had so disturbed and frightened these tired 
men and weary dogs, and so we as quickly turned 
round and dashed away from that camp as rapidly 
as we had rushed into it. 


244 


Hector, My Dog 

Some days after, we heard some one reading 
out of a paper an account of the narrow escape of 
the two men who had come in from Fort Alex- 
ander by dog-trains with the mail packet. The 
story was, that their camp in the outskirts of the 
Indian settlement had been attacked by an enor- 
mous pack of wolves. But by their desperate 
bravery they had succeeded in driving them off. 
Indeed, so desperate had been the defense made, 
that a panic had apparently seized the wolves and 
they had disappeared as quickly as they had made 
their attack. This story went far and wide, and 
we found that our masters and the guide got to 
hear about it, and some time later on when they 
were all together at a camp-fire, they talked it 
over and looked at us very knowingly, as much 
as to say, “'You know more about it than did 
those who put that story in the paper.” Then 
they laughed again as they thought it over. But 
of course we dogs said nothing, but just looked 
into the blazing camp-fire. 

Some time that morning, after we had made 
that call at the camp where it was evident that 
we were not welcome, we turned back among the 
houses in the settlement. 

This place was not like the village of Winni- 
peg, and we were wondering what we should do 
to get up some fun or excitement. There was not 
even a butcher’s shop to visit, and so we were 


The Keepers Outwitted 245 

there just aimlessly fooling with each other and 
uncertain what to do next. 

However, we had not long to wait in this state 
of dull inactivity. 

Our adventure came, and it came suddenly, and 
there was about as much fun and excitement in 
it, for a short time, as the liveliest and most mis- 
chievous dog could desire. 


XIX 


“DOGS WILL BE DOGS ” 

S I said in the last chapter, we dogs were 



just fooling along in the trail there in 


the settlement, when several savage dogs 


ran out from one of the largest houses, and had 
the impudence to bark angrily at us and challenge 
us to a fight. 

We were not slow in responding. 

The way those dogs turned and ran was a 
laughable sight even for dogs to see. 

As the doors of the big house were shut, those 
frightened dogs could not find refuge there, and 
so as we were close behind them, they turned on 
one side and ran back between two smaller houses, 
then through a large yard, and jumped over a 
high log fence. Over this log fence we clambered 
and sprang, and there we found ourselves among 
a lot of great big, black, frightened animals, 
which we dogs thought were bears. 

It seems that we had chased those yelping, 
frightened dogs into the farmer’s big pig-pen, and 
there we were piling in after them. 

But at that time we dogs did not know that 
there were such animals as pigs. 


246 


“Dogs Will be Dogs” 247 


The chased dogs did not seem to care for bears. 
They were then more frightened by the dogs that 
were after them, and so they dashed quickly 
across the pen with some of my companions after 
them, and disappeared under a barn. 

Others of the dogs, however, with memories of 
exciting conflicts before them, and preferring a 
battle with bears to any other excitement, at once 
left off the pursuit of the retreating dogs, and 
went at once for these supposed bears. 

Some of my readers may perhaps think that we 
dogs were very stupid not to know the difference 
between bears and great big, black pigs. But 
they must remember that up to this time we had 
never seen such things. And indeed I overheard 
my master say in our defense, that once when he 
was coming up Red River, through this very set- 
tlement, with some Indians from Nelson River, 
in a boat in the summer time, they saw in the 
fields some of this same herd of black hogs, and 
he had to get between the guns and the pigs to 
keep his men from shooting them. They declared 
that they were bears and nothing else. 

But here in the pen these dogs that were bear 
fighters, and were, as they now imagined, among 
a number of bears, cleverly separated in pairs, 
which is their usual plan, and began what are 
their tactics in these conflicts, which was only to 
nip the bears in their hind legs, and to carefully 


248 Hector, My Dog 

keep out of the reach of their terrible fore paws, 
with which they can give such dreadful hugs. 

To the surprise of us dogs, for I was one of 
those that had jumped into the pen, these bears 
had but little fight in them, but gave out the 
most blood-curdling screams we had ever heard. 

At first we did not like to hear these sounds, 
so different from the “ Whoof ! whoof ! ” of other 
bears. 

Soon, however, we became accustomed to these 
squealings, and we got to like them so much that 
we went around nipping every bear to see if they 
could all make this same grand sound. 

We found they all could. Some even better 
than others. 

We thought it great fun. And I do not know 
how long we would have kept it up if left alone. 
For the fact is, we had been joined by the rest of 
our dogs that had returned from chasing the 
cowardly dogs that had hid under the barn. 

Of course our comrades became at once inter- 
ested in these bears, and were very much sur- 
prised that they had so little fight in them, as we 
had seen. 

But they soon became interested in their 
squealings, and thought that it was just splendid. 
So, for their delight as well as our own, we had a 
grand time keeping up the music. 

And it was also just amusing to us younger 


“ Dogs Will be Dogs ” 


249 


dogs to watch the old bear-fighter dogs of ours, 
to see them there sit up and study these queer 
bears that had no fight in them. 

But as suddenly as our fun had begun, more 
abruptly did it stop. 

Thus have I often found it. J ust as you are 
having a glorious time, full of fun and excite- 
ment, somebody comes along and spoils it all. 

So it was here. In the midst of our jollifica- 
tion of barking dogs and squealing bears, over 
that log fence jumped two others of our dog- 
drivers armed with their heavy dog whips. 

“ Majestimuk ! Majestimuk ! ” (bad dogs), they 
shouted. 

And the way they used those whips on us poor 
dogs that were out just for some fun was simply 
dreadful. They whipped and whipped us all 
around that yard, and they drove us over that 
log fence and out on the road, and then just 
taking time to run into the house and get their 
heavy leather coats, for it was Yery cold that 
morning, they came out, and we had to move 
lively to keep ahead of them, as they drove us 
back to the old house out of which we had walked 
through that old cellar way. 

They tried to drive us into the cellar, but we 
would not go, and one of them had to go and 
wake up the other two drivers, who were still 
asleep, and bring them out to open the door and 


250 Hector, My Dog 

let us in. Those men were surprised and looked 
very foolish. 

We soon cuddled down in the hay as innocent 
as possible. The men quickly examined the place, 
and of course soon found where we had with our 
teeth pulled back the flooring and got out. Then 
they brought some more nails, and if they did 
not keep us awake for hours while they kept 
pounding away nailing down those boards, and 
we were so sleepy. 

“Now then, we will see what they can do 
now,” we heard them say in Indian. 

Then as they were going, one of them said : 

“ How our masters will laugh when we tell 
them of the tricks of these cunning rascals.” 

Then the Indians, who do not laugh much, 
laughed now as one of them told the two they 
had awakened of how we were acting with what 
we thought were bears, but which he called pigs 
— big black hogs. 

The two drivers who had brought us back, 
remained for some time with these two who were 
living near us, for the purpose of watching us, as 
though such good dogs as we were required any 
watching. They soon after came in again to see 
if we were all right. They then went back to 
the house where they were stopping, which was 
with the farmer who owned the great big, black 
pigs that had given us such fun. 


“Dogs Will be Dogs” 251 

That evening, when our two drivers were 
giving us our suppers, they were talking with 
each other very earnestly about something which 
seemed to very much interest them. 

We could not make out at first what it was 
about, and we did not care, for reasons of our 
own, to let them see that we were even listening 
to their talk, or were in any way interested. 

When they had gone back to their houses, and 
we dogs were resting in the hay, we put together 
what we had each understood of their talk, and 
we discovered that they had been invited out to 
a party somewhere, and would be away all the 
evening and most of the next day, but they would 
surely be back in time to feed us. 

Some of our dogs had understood them to say 
that they would come the last thing before they 
went away and see if we were all right and 
quiet. 

This was good news for us, for already we had 
a scheme of our own on hand, which in order to 
be successful, required that we should be left 
alone for some time the next morning. 

So “ mum ” was the word, and we dogs cuddled 
down in the hay for a good rest. All we did 
was to have two or three of the dogs with the 
keenest scent rest where they could detect the 
coming of our drivers, and then quickly pass 
round the word. 


252 


Hector, My Dog 

It was some hours after dark before they came 
in with a lantern and looked us over, and they 
were actually that suspicious of us, that they 
went all round the room and looked to see if we 
had made any attempt to get out. 

We felt so hurt as we looked out at them with 
one eye, to think that they had so little confidence 
in such nice dogs as we were. 

“ They are too tired to go hog-hunting, think- 
ing they are bears, to-night,” said one to the 
other, as they went out. They were all dressed 
up in their best cloth capotes with brass buttons, 
and had on their finest leggings and silk-work 
moccasins. 

We were now certain that they were going 
away to a party. 

Where it was, of course we knew not, neither 
did we care. All we wanted was to get them 
away, and as far as possible. 

While one of them was locking the door with 
a great padlock, the other one said : 

“ I am afraid we are making a mistake in both 
of us going away for so long a time. These dogs 
are such cunning rascals, that I am fearful that 
they will again be too sharp for us. Then, if 
any real damage is done by them, our kind mas- 
ters will have to pay for it.” 

“ Nonsense ! ” said the other driver. “ The 
building is now perfectly dog-proof. It is im- 


“ Dogs Will be Dogs ” 


253 


possible for them to get out.” Then laughingly 
he said, “ You know this is your last chance to 
see Bright Eyes, your best girl, the one you 
would like to ask to be your wife. You surely 
don’t want to miss seeing her again.” 

This seemed to settle it. And so away they 
went. We could hear the crunching of the dry 
snow under their moccasined feet for some time 
that cold and frosty night. 

So far the coast was clear, but we lay down 
and slept for some hours before we began to 
carry out our plans, which but few dogs would 
have attempted. 

The only window left in the little house in 
which we were kept faced directly towards the 
little houses where our two drivers stopped. It 
consisted of four panes of glass. We had not 
dared to interfere with it while the men were 
about that evening, but we had seen from our 
first coming to the house that we could easily 
smash through it. Of course the first dog that 
jumped through might get cut with the glass. 
We, however, little cared for that. We all had 
hard heads well covered with thick hair, and the 
chances were that nobody would be much hurt. 
Anyway, we had resolved to take the risk and 
go through it. 

It was still dark when we began to move about, 
and for a time no one seemed anxious to be the 


254 


Hector, My Dog 

first to jump through that window, and thus 
smash it out for the rest of us to easily get 
through. 

Strange to say it was Koona who first volun- 
teered, and thus we found that although he was 
cowardly in some ways, he was brave in others, 
especially when there was any chance for mis- 
chief. 

It was decided that as soon as Koona had 
jumped through, and had given the word that 
the way was clear, we were all to follow him as 
fast as possible, for fear some of the Indians in 
the houses might, on hearing the smashing of the 
glass, come quickly out and try to stop us. 

With a run to give him more force, Koona 
dashed through that window in grand style. His 
cheery yelp, which meant “ All right ! ” was soon 
heard, and then one after another of us jumped 
out into the snow, which was there in great 
abundance. 

When about half of the dogs were out, we saw, 
through a window, a light burning in one of the 
little houses near us, and then two or three faces 
were pressed against the glass, as some people 
were looking out at us. But they did not come 
out. They were very kind, and were willing to 
let us have a good time. Then perhaps they 
knew we might make it lively for them, if they 
interfered. 


“ Dogs Will be Dogs ” 255 

When all were out of the house, we decided to 
carry out the idea that had come to us as we lay 
resting in the hay, and that was, as the settle- 
ment was so slow, and there were so few chances 
to have any fun, to go up to the stone fort, where 
there were lots of people and dogs, and have a 
good time with them. 

Koona had cut his head a little, and the blood 
showed on his white hair, but some of the dogs 
of his train soon licked it off. Two or three 
others had cut themselves also on some of the 
bits of glass that remained fast in the wood of 
the window frame. These cuts w 7 ere soon at- 
tended to, and then we dashed off on the trail 
for the Lower Stone Fort. 

It was a run of some miles to get there, and 
so it was after daylight when, to our great de- 
light, we saw the big stone walls of the fort be- 
fore us. We seemed to get into trouble from the 
beginning. As we saw nobody around in the 
front and the big gates, through which we had 
dashed when we first came in our trains with our 
masters, were closed, we hurried around to an- 
other gate which we found open. We hurried 
along through this, and there before us, to our 
great delight, were some of the people we had 
met before. They had great pails in their hands, 
and as we rushed up to them to greet them, they, 
instead of being glad to see us, got so excited, 


256 Hector, My Dog 

and tried to lift up high the pails as though they 
did not want to let us dogs see what they were 
carrying. 

This strange conduct of those men we thought 
were our friends, quite excited our curiosity, and 
so without meaning any harm, we were soon re- 
solved to see for ourselves. 

So we just bounded up and got our fore paws 
on those pails. 

Of course they had to come down, which they 
did amidst the strong words and “ majestimuk ” 
(bad dogs) of those who were carrying them. 

We dogs were a little upset ourselves, as well 
as were all the pails, when we found out that 
they had been full of milk, which these men had 
obtained from the cows in the stables belonging 
to the fort. 

There was a big row of course, for very soon 
out came Mr. Flett, the master, and a number of 
other gentlemen, called clerks. 

We were glad to see them, but I am sorry to 
say they did not seem glad to see us, especially 
two or three who were called Scotchmen, and, if 
we understood aright, said something about 
“ Deil tak them ! So there is to be no fresh milk 
the morn for our parritch.” 

Mr. Flett himself, who at first seemed angry 
with us, at length began to laugh, and said some- 
thing about “ dogs will be dogs,” and then turn- 


“ Dogs Will be Dogs ” 257 


ing to the angry men who were still mourning 
over the loss of the new milk, he said to them : 

“ There is plenty of frozen milk. Some of it 
can be melted for your porridge.” 

This was all we were able to do at Lower 
Stone Fort. We were in the hands of those who 
knew how to manage us, and so we were just 
huddled in a stone bastion where there was plenty 
of hay, and there we had to stay until our fright- 
ened drivers came for us. 

The next morning we were harnessed up to our 
sleds and driven up to Winnipeg village for our 
loads, and then in a few days afterwards the long 
journey to our home was begun. 


XX 


A SLEIGH LOAD OP BREAD 

O UR friends in Winnepeg were of course 
glad to see us again in their village. 
We galloped in their midst in fine style. 
Our silvery bells were all ringing, and our Indian 
drivers were decked out in their finest apparel, 
with their beaded caps, their embroidered leg- 
gings, and silk- worked moose-skin moccasins. 

“ Here they come ! ” was the cry that was 
shouted out on all sides, as with our light sleds, 
we sped along the well-beaten snowy streets. 

It had first been arranged, that in view of some 
unpleasantness in connection with our last visit a 
few days before this, that our sleds should im- 
mediately be loaded up and we would that after- 
noon begin our return journey. 

This plan was, however, changed at the re- 
quest of the great Hudson Bay Company, that 
desired our trains to be delayed until some im- 
portant packets, expected from the South, should 
arrive by the St. Paul’s Stage, that our masters 
might carry for them to some of the great posts 
in the far North. 

When we dogs understood that we were not to 
258 


A Sleigh Load of Bread 259 

leave the village for two or three days we were 
very much delighted. 

To our surprise, however, the people began to 
make some sarcastic remarks, some of which we 
did not think very complimentary. 

While awaiting for the arrival of our masters, 
they even began their talks. 

One gentleman, whom I believe was called 
McTavish, said to another called Sinclair : “ I 
say, Sinclair, go and lock up in your safe that 
roast of beef you had sent home this morning, or 
some of these dogs will surely get it.” 

“ No fear, but I will be on the lookout. But 
what are you going to do with that leg of mutton 
you have just ordered ? ” 

“ O ! ” said the other, “I have, now that these 
dogs are here, decided to put it in a covered tin 
pail and hang it in my well, at the end of a sixty 
foot rope.” 

“ A poor plan,” was the laughing reply. 

“Do you see that dog Caesar there? Why, he 
once pulled in a net with a lot of fish in and 
helped himself. Better hide well the end of that 
rope.” 

And thus as the people gathered around us at 
the place where our drivers had stopped, we 
simple, innocent dogs had to listen to a lot of 
such stuff as this said about us. So we were not 
sorry when somebody shouted : 


26 o 


Hector, My Dog 

“ Here come their owners ! ” 

Our masters were glad to see us, and we were 
glad to see them ; for except when we were very 
bad, they always had a kindly word and a pat on 
the head for each one of us. 

They looked us over carefully, and were pleased 
to see that we were in capital condition for the 
long journey, with the heavy loads that we would 
have to draw to the end of the route. 

They well knew what was before us, and so 
they were resolved that vigilant eyes should be 
upon us until we started. 

We dogs were simply wild with delight when 
we discovered that we would not have to start on 
our long northern trip that evening, or even the 
next day. 

We were resolved to have another night’s out- 
ing and frolic if possible, no matter how it turned 
out. 

We had to confess that it looked rather dis- 
couraging for us, as here we heard the most posi- 
tive orders being given to our drivers, that they 
were to see to it that we were never out of their 
sight. 

We were taken to the home of the man in the 
village who had treated us decently, and orders 
were given that we should have beef and mutton 
for our suppers. 

So strict were they with us, that they would not 


A Sleigh Load of Bread 261 

allow a few of us to take a half hour’s stroll down 
the streets. 

The drivers, remembering their trouble in the 
Indian settlement, resolved to bring their warm 
rabbit-skin blankets into the house where we dogs 
were confined, and there sleep in the same room 
with us. This would be just as warm as the 
camps in the forest, and so it would be impossible 
for us to get away. 

When we found that by their early bringing in 
of their robes to the house what their plans were, 
we dogs felt as though they were taking a mean 
advantage of us and not giving us a chance, and 
lost about all hope of having the night out. 

Our food was brought to us quite early, and as 
usual, our drivers remained with us until we had 
finished it. Then they shut the door and went 
away for their own suppers. 

This was the only opportunity we had for ar- 
ranging any plans, if anything was to be done. 
Most of the dogs urged that we should give up 
the thought of trying to get out. It would be 
better for us, in view of the long and toilsome 
journey before us, to remain quiet and rest all we 
could. 

Others, however, were of a different mind. 
Koona’s suggestion was that a few of us, perhaps 
half, might manage to steal away in the darkness 
while our drivers slept, and have a good time. 


262 


Hector, My Dog 

His plan was that those dogs that did not care to 
risk the matter, should lie down near the drivers 
and by sprawling themselves out, and snoring at 
times, make it appear that all were in their places. 

The guides had in the coziest part of the room, 
which was the farthest from the door, spread out 
some hay, and there thrown down their rabbit- 
skin robes. It was evident from this, that there 
was to be their resting-place. 

So the dogs that had no desire to try and get 
out, dropped down near these robes, and the 
others took places nearer the door. 

Just before it was quite dark, our drivers came 
in and looked us over, and even were mean 
enough to count us. But we saw what filled us 
with delight, and that was that three of them, 
were all dressed up in their dandiest clothes 
and that told us that these men had some plan for 
the night on hand, and it was not all sleeping with 
dogs. 

However, we just lay low and listened. 

What we made out was that a number of In- 
dians, some of them were their relatives, were 
camped not far down the Bed Biver, and that 
these three so dressed up, were going down to 
visit them for a few hours. And what tickled us 
most, was that they said to the one man who was 
to be left with us : 

“ Leave the door unlocked, so that they can get 


A Sleigh Load of Bread 263 

in easily without making any noise when we re- 
turn.” 

So there we just remained, the best and most 
innocent dogs imaginable, and one after another 
went to sleep, and some dogs were so kind to 
that one driver who, fortunately for us, was the 
biggest sleeper of our party, that they crowded 
up close to him, and made him so warm and com- 
fortable that he was soon fast asleep and snoring 
beautifully. 

Now was the chance for those who were eager 
for the outing. Koona, who had well practiced 
on the doors of the mission house at our far away 
home, just as quickly as possible crawled to that 
door, and as it was just the ordinary thumb latch, 
he opened it very easily and so quietly that in a 
very brief time about a dozen of us dogs were 
outside. Then, as arranged, a dog inside gently 
pushed the door shut. 

The question now with us was what to do. It 
was still early in the evening, and although after 
dark, many people were still moving about. 

Csesar said : “ I wish I knew where that Mr. 
McTavish lives, and I would have a try for his 
mutton.” 

But as none of us knew, his mutton was safe. 

Then we went to have a look at the butcher’s 
shop. But the shop was closed, and there was 
nothing for us there. 


264 Hector, My Dog 

Thus we wandered about; and as there was 
nothing to interest us, we began to wish we were 
back resting with the other dogs in the hay. 

Then our fun came. As we were at the west- 
ern end of the village, coming up the street was 
a sleigh, drawn by a horse with jingling bells. 
As the sleigh passed us, we saw that it was loaded 
with loaves of bread. Bread, we learned after- 
wards, that was being carried out to some soldiers 
camped at the Assiniboin. 

All at once we became hungry for bread. We 
had had some loaves broken up among us, and 
we liked it as a change of food. 

So, thoughtless dogs that we were, away we 
dashed after this loaded sleigh. It did not take 
us long to reach it, and as it was low, being only 
on runners, some of us easily sprang upon it, and 
the way we tackled the loaves was great. That 
silly driver was so frightened. The foolish fel- 
low. We saw no reason why he should have 
yelled so, and made such a fuss. 

We only wanted a loaf apiece, and he had so 
many, a dozen or so would not have been missed. 

If his shouting had been all that he did we 
would not have much minded it, as long as we 
got some bread. But he began striking us with 
his whip, and he struck us as hard as he 
could. 

The best trained dogs in the world would not 


A Sleigh Load of Bread 265 

have stood that, and so we got angry ; and some 
of us began climbing over his load of bread to in- 
terview him about it. 

He, however, did not wait for us to get on the 
seat beside him, but actually jumped off from his 
sleigh, in the snow, although it was going very 
rapidly. 

We did not know how to drive the horse, and 
so away he went as hard as he could run, and 
then as he turned a corner in the road, he did it 
so quickly, that the three dogs of us that were 
all that were left on the sleigh, were pitched out 
and fell in the snow with more bread around us 
than we had ever seen before in our lives. 

The other dogs that had not managed to get 
on the sleigh soon joined us, and we were not 
slow in seeing that we had had fun enough for 
one night, and that it would be best for us to get 
back to our nest as quickly and quietly as pos- 
sible. 

Having been in the village before, we now 
knew a well-beaten road that led us almost 
directly to our abode, and although we were out 
of the village where no lights were shining, we 
were not long in returning to the place. 

Koona and others cautiously approached the 
door and listened. The heavy snoring of the one 
solitary driver could be heard, and so the door 
was quickly opened, and then shut again behind 


266 


Hector, My Dog 

the lot of us, and very soon we were all in our 
places, and of course, fast asleep. 

In a couple of hours or so the three drivers 
returned, and as speedily as possible they changed 
their fine suits for their other clothing, and then 
after stepping over and amongst us, they said : 
“ Yes, they are all here as yet, but as it is about 
the time they may try and get out, a couple of 
us had better sleep here against the door.” 

So there they spread out some hay, and roll- 
ing themselves up in their warm rabbit-skin robes, 
they lay down to sleep. How long after it was, 
I cannot say, but it could not have been very 
long before we saw lights flashing through the 
high window of our abode, and we heard a 
number of voices, and among them were those of 
our masters. 

My blood seemed to chill in my veins, and I 
felt such a shivering come over me. But I just 
kept quiet and waited for what would happen. 

Some of the dogs that had not been out, 
awakened by the noise outside, for it was now 
evident that there were a number of people, 
began fiercely growling. This seemed to frighten 
some of the people, especially the policeman, whom 
we had tumbled in the snow some days before, and 
whose voice we now recognized. 

“ You must go first and quiet them,” this 
policeman said to our masters ; “ for I would as 


A Sleigh Load of Bread 267 

soon go into a den of lions as among those 
dogs.” 

This unkind remark made our own master’s 
friend quite indignant, and he said to that police- 
man : 

“ Of course. If you only knew how to treat 
them, you would find them as innocent as 
lambs.” 

And of course we were. 

Then our masters tried to open the door, but 
met with some difficulty on account of the two 
sleeping Indians who were lying close against it, 
and who, considering that they had been there 
so short a time, seemed to be very difficult to 
awake. 

They were, however, aroused at last ; and get- 
ting up as though half dazed from being awaked 
from a long and profound slumber, they let in 
the masters and then several other men that 
accompanied them, including the policeman and, 
to our horror, the young man that had driven the 
bread sleigh. The other two drivers were with 
difficulty aroused, and then the policeman with 
a great deal of authority said to the boy : 

“ Now of course you recognize these dogs as 
the ones that chased you off your bread sleigh 
and caused your horse to run away.” 

The boy looked us over, and then replied : 

“ It was pretty dark, and we had passed the 


268 


Hector, My Dog 

last lamp-post, and I could not see very well. 
One that I saw I think looked like that very 
white one there.” 

Then he pointed to Koona, who was very 
lovingly and sleepily cuddled down close to his 
driver, who was, as we have said, the heavy 
sleeper who had not been out of the building. 

This partial accusation against Koona, whom 
his driver loved in spite of all his cunning, saucy 
ways, was too much for him ; and as it was also 
a reflection on his own watchfulness, he at once 
resented it with such warmth that the poor driver, 
now half-distracted, said apologetically : 

“ Well, I did say that I believed it was a pack 
of wolves that attacked me, and one of them was 
very white; but we all know there are white 
wolves, and there was one fierce one in that pack 
that looked like that white dog.” 

Our master said but little as they turned the 
light of the lantern upon us, but I did think that 
they thought some of our extra sleepy ways were 
a little forced. 

The drivers were really innocent, for Koona’s 
had not been awake, and the other three had 
arrived after we dogs were all cozily back in our 
places. 

The policeman, smarting still under the hu- 
miliation of his upset in the snow, for which he 
could get no redress, for the owner of the leg of 


A Sleigh Load of Bread 269 

mutton had been well paid for it by our masters, 
was still resolved to convict us. 

But the more he questioned the boy the more 
the lad became convinced in his own mind that 
the raid upon his bread sleigh was not made by 
these good-natured, sleeping dogs, but by a pack 
of fierce prairie wolves, that now that the buffalo 
were about gone, driven by hunger, had actually 
come to the outskirts of the village and had 
rushed upon him. 

Thus baffled, the policeman, with the rest, re- 
tired, but he angrily declared that just as soon 
as it was daylight, he would get on the tracks 
and follow them up, and he knew where they 
would lead him. 

That night, several inches of snow fell, and so 
no track could be followed. In some way or 
other we dogs heard later on that our masters 
sent a certain baker ten dollars, and also five 
dollars to a much frightened boy. 

We also overheard our masters say that that 
was the last time they would bring their dogs to 
Winnipeg, and they kept their word. 


XXI 


“going home” 

O UR sleds were loaded up the next day 
with supplies for the distant mission. 
Each sled started with from eight hun- 
dred to a thousand pounds weight. 

These were heavy loads, but most of the route 
was on the ice, and over it we dogs can draw 
very much heavier loads than we can in the for- 
est, where the only trail before us is that made 
by the snow-shoes of our guide. 

We had understood that we were to remain 
over in the village of Winnipeg another night, 
but our masters decided that they would sleep 
better if the dogs were securely shut up in one 
of the corner bastions of the Lower Stone Fort 
instead of in that old house in Winnipeg. 

We dogs were quite hurt when we were told 
by our drivers that at three o’clock sharp the 
journey would begin. 

The fact was, we had begun to like Winnipeg, 
and to feel very much at home on its streets, es- 
pecially in the night-time. And now here our 
last night was taken from us. We might have 
had such fun. 

270 


“Going Home” 


271 

¥e made the journey of twenty miles in three 
hours, which was not poor traveling considering 
our heavy loads. 

Mr. Flett and the other gentlemen greeted our 
masters very cordially, and while we dogs, after 
being unharnessed, were strolling around waiting 
for our suppers, we overheard the gentlemen 
laughing together and saying such words as 
“ spilt milk,” “ black hogs,” “ squealing bears.” 

Then our masters said something about “ a mad 
policeman,” and “ bread in the snow,” and “ dogs 
instead of wolves,” and other things. Then they 
all laughed again and again. 

They remained with us while our drivers 
brought out the meat th&t had been purchased 
for our suppers. 

We were then taken into the stone bastion of 
the fort, and there in the soft hay we lay down 
to sleep, except Jack and Cuffy the aristocrats. 
They, as usual, went into the house with our 
master. 

We were aroused by our drivers long before 
daylight the next morning. 

Our masters had already had their breakfasts, 
and had gone on for over an hour on the long 
trail of hundreds of miles that were before us. 

This they often did, and sometimes they walked 
or ran those cold, keen mornings many miles be- 
fore we, with our heavy loads, overtook them. 


272 Hector, My Dog 

Voyageur was in his place at the head, and so 
the scent of the master before him was all that 
was needed to lead him on without any trouble. 

That first morning we found our masters at 
the last house in the Indian settlement await- 
ing us. 

A kettle of tea was there made, and after a 
lunch the real journey began. Behind us were 
the houses and people, among whom we had seen 
many new and wonderful things. Before us was 
the great Lake Winnipeg and hundreds of miles 
away north was our home towards which we were 
now going. We had had a good time, but some- 
how or other we soon caught the spirit of our 
drivers and our masters, and, like them, we dogs 
were all glad that we were going home. 

“Going home!” they would shout to each 
other. 

“ Hurrah ! we are going home.” 

And of this they never seemed to tire, and it 
was ever the thought in their minds. 

At the camp-fire, when the day’s long toilsome 
journey was ended, of getting home they talked. 
Then their voices softened as they spoke of the 
kind mistress and the little ones who doubtless 
already were beginning to look out through the 
frosted windows, and saying, when shall we see 
father again ? 

To them, every unusual sound, by day or night, 


“Going Home” 273 

was conjured into the distant jingling of the 
merry bells of the dog-trains. 

Our Indian drivers, too, staunch, reserved men 
though they were, as they sat and smoked their 
last pipe at the camp-fire, long after they had 
tucked in their masters’ robes, lingered there ere 
they lay down to take the much needed sleep, 
and looked longingly into the bright fires, and 
talked in quiet, kindly tones of their little ones 
whose bright eyes would kindle with delight as 
they spread before them the presents they had 
brought for them with their wages, in addition 
to what they had each obtained for the sales of 
the prime wolf robes which they had secured in 
the battle to which I have already referred. And 
I could not help but notice as there I lay so 
quiet and still, that the voices that could be so 
stern and strong as they urged us dogs along 
with our heavy loads, were so soft and gentle as 
they showed these presents for their wives and 
little ones to each other, and spoke with joy of 
the happy times they would have when they met 
with their loved ones in the little homes. 

The fire burned low before they had thus fin- 
ished, and so, ere they wrapped their warm rab- 
bit-skin robes around them, they quietly put some 
more logs on the fire, and then lay down to their 
much needed sleep. 

Dog as I am, yet that night as there I lay on 


274 Hector, My Dog 

the outer robe of my master’s bed there in the 
forest, with the great snow-drifts piled up around 
us, and the bright stars above us, and looked into 
the fire, I got some new thoughts that came to 
me, even a dog. 

One was that even the hardest and roughest of 
our drivers had kindness and tenderness in them, 
and I had that night looked into their hearts and 
found it. 

Another was, this love of home was not only 
in the hearts of the white man — men who have 
so much — but that even these Indians, some of 
whose homes were as yet only wigwams, had it 
just the same. And then I wondered, if it could 
be, whether we dogs who loved so to get home, 
had anything in us similar to what is in the 
white man and Indian that made this same home 
longing ; but I could think no longer, and so 
went to sleep. 

We found as we traveled on that our guide 
tried to arrange each day’s journey so. that we 
would reach each night the camps we had used 
as we had come down from the north. This 
meant, if no great snow-storm had occurred, very 
much less work in preparing the camp. 

The principal reason, however, why we wished 
to reach our previous camping-places was on ac- 
count of our caches of fish which we had hid, to 
have for our food. A dog’s ability to count may 


“ Going Home ” 275 

not be very good, but I think it was eight times 
we made camp on our outgoing journey. 

Our masters and drivers found that twice on 
the return trip, the cunning wolves had found 
those hidden places where the fish had been 
cached away, and of course they had made short 
work of them. 

Those nights our masters fed us on meat off the 
sleds out of the supplies which he was carrying 
home, which was there almost unknown, as they 
lived on fish. Some of the drivers even said : 

“ It won’t hurt the dogs to fast a day or so. 
It is too bad to give them the beef or mutton 
brought so far, and which will be so prized in the 
mission home.” 

But our master said “ no ” to all of this talk, 
and if there were no fish in the cache, he gave us 
meat. 

Thus we pushed on day after day. The cold 
was very great, but we dogs were kept warm by 
our heavy loads, and at night my good master let 
me sleep near the fire, and sometimes as many as 
a dozen dogs would crowd round in the warm, 
sheltered places, and our master would not allow 
the Indians to drive us away. 

Towards the last of the trip, we heard the men 
complaining of what they called snow-blindness. 
They seemed to suffer very much and to be in 
great pain. Our master put medicine in their 


276 Hector, My Dog 

eyes, but as he and also his friend began to suffer 
from this disease of snow-blindness, which is 
caused by the brightness of the sun shining on 
the pure white snow, they resolved to sleep in the 
camps during the day and then travel at night. 

This we did for two or three days, and then all 
soon got well. 

But it seemed so odd to us dogs to be ordered 
to lie down near the camp and go to sleep during 
the hours of sunshine as we had done in the 
nights. And when we dared to get up and walk 
around, it seemed so queer to see our masters and 
drivers asleep and the sun shining on the camp 
through the trees. 

I am afraid we dogs chatted in dog-fashion 
with each other more than we slept the first day 
of this new experience, but after the next night 
when our journey was of over sixty miles, we 
were quite ready for our rest and sleep, be it in 
darkness or sunshine. 

But this traveling by night to escape from the 
snow-blindness had its dangers. It is true we 
heard the men talk about the stars that shone so 
brightly, and also there were times when all their 
talking ceased, and they were hushed into awe by 
the strange, beautiful lights which flashed out 
and danced before us in the northern skies. 

Even we dogs were startled by them, as at 
times they were so bright beyond or above us, 


“ Going Home” 


277 

that our shadows were thrown on one side and 
then on the other and then again right un- 
der us. 

From our masters and drivers we found out 
that the two dangers which they most dreaded in 
this night traveling were the fierce, sudden storms 
of blinding snow, and the open cracks in the ice. 
When the experienced men suspected a coming 
storm, they turned us dogs at once for the nearest 
point, and as often we were twenty miles out 
from the land we were sometimes caught in the 
blinding gale ere we reached the forest where the 
camp could speedily be made. 

But the greatest danger to the night travelers 
are the open cracks in the ice. I well remember 
when, as a young and inexperienced dog, I lay in 
the camp on the shores of the great Lake Winni- 
peg. Frequently during the night I would be 
suddenly aroused by hearing great booming 
sounds away out on the frozen lake. At first 
they frightened me very much. Indeed I could 
not sleep at first, as they made me think of the 
distant wolf howls that I remembered having 
heard when I was a little puppy and my mother 
had hushed my little brothers and myself into 
perfect stillness in our cozy nest. 

What surprised me was that the older dogs 
hardly noticed these distant booming sounds. 
So I inquired why it was that they cared not for 


278 Hector, My Dog 

them. They only grinned out their amusement 
at my stupidity, and said : 

“Those sounds come not from wild animals, 
but are just caused by the cracking of the ice.” 

So while I was relieved of my fears that they 
were not wild animals, I found out from what 
was said about them that they were very danger- 
ous. 

“Keep a good lookout for the cracks in the 
ice ! ” 

This was a command often given to those sent 
on with the guide to the front. 

But the real danger was not so much with open 
water, that could easily be seen, but the greatest 
danger was when a thin crust of ice had just 
formed where but a short time before the ic§ had 
burst asunder, and on the water which had 
rushed to the top, a thin crust had formed, but 
not strong enough yet for men or dogs to cross 
upon. 

Yoyageur was very clever in detecting these 
weak places. He never failed when there was 
running water under the ice, but on the great 
lake where the ice that had burst was several feet 
over still water, it was very difficult, and so even 
Yoyageur sometimes failed. 

Several men and dogs got in, in spite of the 
greatest care. Then there was a mad rush to 
the nearest shore for a fire at which to dry them. 


“ Going Home” 


279 


One day as we were all pushing on as well as 
we could, over a place where the ice was rough 
and the footing poor, we heard a loud cry of pain 
that startled us all. Our trains were all at once 
stopped, and we found to our sorrow that the cry 
had come from Muff, the sleigh-dog of the 
master’s train. She had broken her collar bone 
in an ambitious spring she had made to carry the 
heavy load over a bad place. The sled I was 
leader of was not far behind her train, and so I 
saw and heard all that occurred. As poor Muff 
so cried out, our master, who was driving, in- 
stantly called to Voyageur to stop, which he 
quickly did. 

The guide and other drivers were soon around 
him, and very tenderly Muff was unharnessed, 
and soon it was known that so serious was the 
injury, that her working days were over. The 
bone, against which her collar rested, was snapped 
in two, and so it was no wonder that she had so 
cried out in her agony. 

The master had quickly ordered that a fur 
robe should be taken off his sled, and there on 
it the now suffering, yet patient dog was placed. 

As she lay there on the robe with the men all 
gathered around, there was a hasty consultation 
amongst them as to what should be done. Some 
of the drivers who had lost dogs in this way be- 
fore said : 


28 o 


Hector, My Dog 

“ There is only one thing to be done, and that 
is to kill her at once, and thus put an end to her 
sufferings. We have had to do it before now 
when one of our dogs had broken a leg or had 
injured themselves in such a way as had Muff. 
She was a good dog, but she is useless now, and 
must die.” 

Then another said: “Yes, she was a fine, 
strong dog, but others have had to be killed, and 
so if you white men do not wish to see it done, 
you can go on and we will attend to the matter, 
and then come on without her. We see no other 
way.” 

When my master’s friend, who was very kind- 
hearted, heard this, he cried : 

“Wait then until I am far away, for I do not 
want to hear her dying cry.” 

Then our master, who had been sitting down 
on the fur robe with Muff’s head in his lap, and 
had said nothing while the guide and men thus 
talked, now began to speak. His voice was low, 
and we had all to listen carefully to catch his 
words. 

“ Kill Muff like that, and leave her here to be 
devoured by wolves ? Ho ! never ! A kind lady 
by the name of Mrs. Allan of Montreal gave her 
to me, and she has served me too well on many a 
cold winter’s journey to be thus killed. Muff 
shall live. I am going to carry her home in my 


“ Going Home ” 


281 


own cariole. She shall ride in my place, and for 
what she has already done for me I will walk 
the rest of the way home. She shall live and not 
die.” 

Even the men who had thought that there was 
nothing else to do but to kill Muff, were a little 
ashamed that they had so quickly advised that 
she should be killed. But it was bitterly cold, and 
as we were far from home and must rapidly get 
on, they had known no other way. So here they 
thought that Muff must die. 

But our master gave them but little time to 
talk. When he spoke like that, his word was 
law, and they knew it. He quickly ordered 
some bandages to be made, and then setting the 
bone with the help of his friend, he ordered the 
guide and another to go on rapidly with most of 
the trains to the next camp and get everything 
ready, and he would follow on more slowly with 
Muff, the injured dog, whom he had had carefully 
placed on soft robes in his cariole. 

It was a couple of hours before our masters 
with their two trains arrived. We dogs of the 
other trains had already had our suppers, but we 
could none of us lie down to rest until our master 
with Muff had reached the camp. The master 
had his robes and blankets put in the camp, and 
then close to the place where he would sleep he 
had them put Muff. Then he had her supper 


282 


Hector, My Dog 

prepared of the best of the meat of the sleds, 
and then having it cut in small pieces, he care- 
fully fed her himself, so that in eating she should 
not injure herself. 

Thus day by day the master walked or ran be- 
hind his cariole, while Muff rode in his place. 
We could see that he was often very tired and 
footsore, and more than once we saw blood on 
the ice where his feet had trod, but he did as he 
had said he would, and so Muff was brought 
home, and, to our great delight, for she was a 
kind, affectionate dog whom we all loved, she 
completely recovered. 

But no heavy work was ever required of her 
by her kind master who had refused to let her 
be killed when the guide and drivers saw no other 
way. 


XXII 


SUMMER HOLIDAYS 

O F the welcome home — the glad reunion — 
the happy children — the radiant face of 
the brave mistress who had cared for all, 
in the lonely weeks while we were away, I, of 
course, as a dog, cannot say. But as altogether, 
we, as a medley of jingling bells, cracking whips, 
shouting drivers, excited dogs, and thankful mas- 
ters, dashed up to the door of the mission house, 
and were met by the loved ones there, with many 
of the Indian people who had gathered to wel- 
come us, I, like many of the other dogs, could in 
a measure enter into the gladness of the hour and 
bark out my delight. 

Sagastao was of course wild with excitement 
and delight. After greeting his father, and then 
the other men of the party, he came at once to 
me, and after some cheery words of greeting for 
us all, he claimed the right to unharness me 
while Alec did the same for Billy, Boxer and 
Buster. 

Dear old Hover was so delighted at our return, 
and at the prospect of having plenty of work to 
283 


284 Hector, My Dog 

do in curing all that were suffering from wounds 
or frost-bites, that he fairly howled with gladness, 
and wagged his tail so vigorously that he seemed 
also to wag about half of his body. 

The supper that was provided for us that night 
and for many succeeding ones was abundant, and 
our beds were warm and comfortable. 

After a few days’ rest, we settled down again 
into our usual routine of work. 

The wood-piles had greatly diminished in our 
absence, and Kennedy said that the cows would 
soon need more hay. 

The fish that still remained at the distant fish- 
eries were all to be brought home ere the ice 
melted, or the trail became unsafe. 

Our master made some short trips, of a few 
days each, to some not very remote Indian vil- 
lages. But he did not take me or any of the 
dogs of my train. We belonged to Sagastao, and 
so in spite of the fright the wolf had given us, we 
had many a jolly race on the beaten trails, and 
drew home many a load of wood. But now vigi- 
lant hunters were ever on the lookout, while the 
sleds kept together, and the drivers had their 
guns in their hands. 

The biggest excitement we had with wild 
animals was as the spring was near at hand, a 
couple of porcupines came along one of the forest 
trails. 


Summer Holidays 


285 

Some of us dogs, being too inquisitive in our 
investigations of those queer-looking creatures, 
got our noses well-filled with their quills. They 
made us very miserable, and so the Indians had 
to hold us down and pull them all out. 

Thus by experience we have learned that there 
are some creatures, such as skunks and porcu- 
pines, that had better be left severely alone. 

With the coming of the spring, the snow and 
ice all disappeared. 

Our dog-sleds and carioles were piled up high 
in the fish-house, while the harnesses, well-oiled, 
were hung up above the reach of any stray, 
hungry dog. 

It seemed so odd to us dogs that had been so 
busy all winter, now to have nothing to do. 

We were given plenty of exercise, but every - 
thing was now so quiet that I am afraid that 
there were times when we longed for the village 
of Winnipeg, or some other place where we could 
again have some rollicking fun. 

Koona, alert and mischievous as ever, did once 
and awhile succeed in getting up for us a little 
diversion when he knew that we were all out of 
the kennels. 

He would steal away, and boldly invade the 
Indian village, and by the most tantalizing and 
provoking barks get a great pack of the Indian 
dogs after him. Keeping just ahead of them, but 


286 


Hector, My Dog 


taking good care that they should not catch him, 
he would lead them right into our midst. Of 
course we went for them, and then there would 
be lively times. The fight would continue until 
whites and Indians would rush in, and with their 
heavy whips separate the combatants. 

But Koona was never in the actual fight. All 
his work was to get the two companies of dogs 
into the conflict. Then from a safe place he 
watched the battle with great delight. 

The coming of the warm weather speedily 
spoiled all the frozen fish still left from the last 
fall catch, and so the question was, how are so 
many dogs with such good appetites to be sup- 
plied with their necessary food, and kept in good 
condition for the next winter’s work. 

At first, until all the ice had left the lakes and 
rivers, several nets were set in the open places by 
Indian fishermen, and in them sufficient fish were 
caught for our needs. But the village was large, 
and as there were so many people depending on 
their nets for food, our master, who could not 
think of letting the people suffer for want of 
food, early arranged for us dogs to be all taken 
out to an island on the great lake some miles 
away where no people dwelt, but where there 
were abundance of fish. 

At that island we were given in charge of an 
active old Indian and his wife. They were sup- 


Summer Holidays 287 

plied by our master with plenty of gill nets with 
which they caught for us large quantities of the 
best of fish. 

So there for months we dogs had our summer 
holidays. The contrast between these quiet, lazy 
days and the busy past we could hardly under- 
stand. 

The drudgery of the heavy winter’s work was 
ended. The last, long journeys in the bitter cold 
were over. Our last excursion with our sleds, 
which was to take our master to the goose hunt, 
had finished up in slush and mud. 

And so now here we were in for good times, 
out on this pleasant island, where we had noth- 
ing to do but to bark and gambol in the sunshine 
and bathe in the lake, and enjoy ourselves to our 
hearts’ desire. 

We had a bit of a fright one day when Koona 
told us that he feared our summer holidays would 
be broken up for some of us, anyway. He said 
that once when with Jack and Cuffy, who as you 
know live in the house with the white people 
there, and so know of what is going on, he over- 
heard the master say that he had brought out in 
a boat from Fort Garry, a thing which he called 
a plough, and also that he was making a queer 
sort of a thing which he called a harrow, and 
that as he had no horses or oxen to draw them, 
he was going to harness up eight of the strong* 


288 


Hector, My Dog 

est of the dogs, and see if they could not draw 
those heavy things through the ground. 

And all this was to be done as soon as all of 
the frost was gone out of the ground, and the 
weather had become warm and pleasant. 

These rumors very much excited us, and we 
were inclined to feel hurt and annoyed that our 
holidays, at least for some of us, were thus to be 
broken in upon. 

What did happen was just this ; and for those 
of us selected it just turned out to be a lot of fun, 
and not very hard work. Sure enough, one day 
the master came over with Kennedy and Alec 
and two or three other Indians in a big boat, and 
after having a romp with us all they had their din- 
ners, and then they carried back with them in the 
boat about a dozen of us. The next day eight of 
us were harnessed up, and then in two trains, side 
by side, we were fastened to that odd looking 
thing they called a plough. It was all right and 
easy enough work for us as we dragged it into 
one of the fields, but when one end of it was 
stuck in the ground and kept there, while they 
shouted : “ Marche ! Marche ! ” why, it was rather 
heavy work, even for the eight dogs of us. But 
we soon understood what was wanted of us, and 
then when we learned to pull all together, why, 
it was just fun. 

When our master had hold of the handles and 


Summer Holidays 289 

knew how to keep the point of the plough in the 
ground all the time, we could only move on 
slowly. But we did have sport, when an Indian, 
who had never seen such work before and so 
knew nothing about it, tried to manage that 
plough. Sometimes he would get the point of 
that plough down too much in the ground, and 
that would stop us all. Then when he was told 
to press down on the handles, he would often do 
it too much, and this would bring the point out 
at the top. This of course took all the pressure 
or weight off, and so we lively dogs, when we 
felt this, suddenly started off with the plough on 
the top of the ground, dragging it and the 
frightened Indian. We did not stop until we 
had reached the other end of the field. Of 
course our master and all the Indians who had 
come to see this queer thing work, laughed at our 
runaway and the failure of the Indian, who 
thought he could plough with dogs. 

Nothing could induce him to try it again. 
Kennedy and the master soon got accustomed to 
the work, and so for days we kept at this new 
employment for dogs. We ploughed up a num- 
ber of little fields and gardens for the Indians as 
well as those belonging to the mission, and also 
harrowed in what wheat and other grain there 
was for sowing. 

They called us good dogs, and said we had 


290 


Hector, My Dog 

done very well indeed instead of horses or oxen, 
and then they had us sent back on the big boat 
to the island. 

So we dogs that had been thus honored, felt 
very proud and happy that we had been able to 
render some service, even during our holiday 
time, to those who had ever treated us so well. 

Of course we had to explain it all to the dogs 
that had remained on the island, and I really 
think that some of them were sorry that they had 
not been with us, especially when we were run- 
ning across that field dragging the frightened In- 
dian at the handles of the plough. 

As the weeks went on we dogs had to devise 
as many ways as possible to pleasantly pass the 
time. 

The telling of the fine time we had when 
ploughing, and the remembrance of the big coun- 
cil when Jack was chairman, set us thinking 
about what we could do to amuse and interest 
each other. Indeed, it did not take us very long 
to think over various things, and our only sur- 
prise was that we had been so slow in getting to 
work. 

Dogs have their weaknesses as well as have 
their masters, and one of the signs of it is in their 
loving to talk about themselves and what they 
have done. 

So when it was suggested that we have a coun- 


Summer Holidays 291 

cil and keep it up for some days, and there in a 
regular, formal way meet and listen to the stories 
of the different dogs, the idea was at once ap- 
proved of. 

It was true that we did not have Jack or Cuffy 
with us, as they always lived with the family in 
the mission house, but we were conceited enough 
to think that we could get along without them. 

As we did not wish to be disturbed, we se- 
lected a spot on the island which was very se- 
cluded, on the opposite side from where stood the 
wigwam of the old Indians. 

We had some difficulty at our first meeting in 
selecting a chairman. No one dog, now that Jack 
was not with us, stood out prominently at the 
head, and so we lost a lot of time, as there were 
several who wanted the position and none could 
get a majority. So in our perplexity, we brought 
out what we had heard people call “ a dark horse ” 
and we all voted for dear old Rover, and so made 
him our chairman. 

Then some one in a spirit of mischief nominated 
Koona for secretary, and, strange to say, he was 
elected. 

Old Rover was almost dazed with the honor 
conferred upon him, but he resolved to do his 
best. So, amidst a hearty chorus of barks and 
yelps and some doggerel, with all the dignity 
which he could assume, which was not much, he 


292 


Hector, My Dog 

curled his bushy tail under him and sat up on the 
position assigned him, which was on the top of a 
low, flat rock. 

Koona, as pert and saucy as ever, took his place 
with his usual cheeky manners. As he called the 
roll, he managed to so comically mispronounce 
some of the names, and also to so absurdly 
join others together, that while at first there was 
a lot of indignation on the part of those whose 
names were so trifled with, soon the whole coun- 
cil was in a roar of laughter. 

As it was seen at once that Rover would be 
utterly unable to keep order, old Yoyageur and 
Blucher were appointed vice -presidents to help 
him. 

The first discussion was as to the character of 
the stories or incidents that were to be narrated 
by the different dogs that would be called to ad- 
dress the council. Some wanted only those that 
were blood-curdling and thrilling like the wolf 
stories that were told by Nelson and Black. 

Billy yelped out, “ Can we not hear Koona’s 
wolf story over again ? ” 

This produced any amount of amusement among 
the dogs. Koona wisely went on with his duties 
as secretary, and so nothing more was said. 

Koona had been punished, and so why should 
he be tantalized further. 

Now it happened that I, Hector, the writer of 


Summer Holidays 293 

these reminiscences, had when resting in the ken- 
nels with various dogs, sometimes in our dog 
language, told to those then around me, some of 
the events of my early life. These dogs now here 
in the council referred to these interviews, and 
moved that the subjects for the addresses before 
the council be “ Earliest Days, or incidents con- 
nected with them.” 

This was carried unanimously. 

Then the next discussion was as to which dog 
should first be called upon to speak on such an 
interesting subject. By vote, it was decided that 
the oldest dogs should have this honor. This de- 
cision brought old Pompey to his feet. He was 
one of the oldest pensioners, a grand old dog on 
the superannuated list ; kept in plenty and hon- 
ored and petted by his master, even if his working 
days were over. 

Pompey was specially honored, for the fact 
that once, years before this, when he was in his 
prime, with other dogs, sleeping in the woods 
near the camp-fire which had burned low, he de- 
tected the stealthy approach of some cunning 
wolves, and had so promptly given the alarm, 
that the master and men had had time to spring 
up and with their guns drive back the wolves into 
the forest. 

So Pompey with his splendid record was well 
received ; for he was a grand old dog, and like 


294 Hector, My Dog 

Rover, so good-natured that he had no ene- 
mies. 

Thanking the company for their kindly greet- 
ings, which were very cheering to an old dog like 
himself, he began. 

“ My mother,” he said, “ was one of two favor- 
ite dogs that were clever bear hunters. Their 
master lived far away on the shores of a great 
lake far north of this. 

“ She lived in the wigwam with the family, and 
was much better treated than are most of the 
Indian dogs. Still when bears were known to be 
near, no mercy was shown to the dogs, and in- 
deed they generally asked for none, for they were 
just as eager for the battle as were their masters. 

“ My mother, in anticipation of my arrival, had 
hid herself away in a cozy nook in the woods, 
not far from her master’s wigwam. 

“ That very day, word suddenly came to the 
Indians there living, that a great big, black bear 
had been seen hurrying through the forest, and 
in order to delay him until the hunters would be 
able to catch up to him and shoot him, it was 
necessary that two of the best trained bear dogs 
should at once be sent off on his trail. My 
mother, for the first time in her life, had to be 
sternly ordered off to join the other bear dogs, 
ere she would go. 

“ However, after a little hesitancy, she was true 


Summer Holidays 295 

to her master and her training, and away she 
hurried off on the trail of the bear. When they 
overtook the bear, they attacked him in the usual 
way, that was, for one of them to get in front of 
the bear, while the other assailed him from be- 
hind, by nipping at his hind legs. The bear is 
very sensitive in his legs, and so when he felt the 
bite, he instantly turned round to drive away the 
assailer. This gave an opportunity for the other 
dog to thus attack him in the same place. Thus 
two well trained dogs that were clever enough to 
keep out of the reach of his great armlike paws, 
can delay him until the hunters arrive. 

“ This they did on this occasion, and as the 
bear was killed very near his den which he had 
made very nice and soft with leaves and hay, my 
mother took possession of it and there I was 
born.” 

This brief but interesting address of old Pom- 
pey’s was received with applause, and grinning 
his thanks as well as he could, the old fellow re- 
turned to his place in the council. 


XXIII 


OLD NESTOR 

O LD NESTOK, another old pensioner, was 
the next dog that was called upon to 
take the rostrum, such as it was. 

After attempting to clear his throat of a fish 
bone that had there stuck, for having lost most of 
his teeth, he was in this and other ways fre- 
quently getting into trouble, he began what 
proved to be a story that thrilled us all. 

“Very little ought I to have to say,” said 
Nestor, “ as I have really tried hard to forget the 
memories of my first days. But there are, as 
dogs and men well know, some things that will 
not be wiped out. 

“I have overheard some wfise men in their 
talking saying something about a river, into 
which if you plunge, you forget everything of the 
past. I have been in many rivers, but I have 
never been in any one that has been able to do 
that for me. So perhaps I did not understand 
those men aright or have not been able to find it, 
but it would indeed be a joy to me, even yet, old 
as I am, to plunge into it.” 

These depressing words of old Nestor very 
296 


Old Nestor 


297 


deeply interested the rest of the dogs, and as 
Nestor had been very loth up to this hour to 
speak about his early history, we all pricked up 
our ears, that is, those that had any, to hear his 
story which we were sure would be full of in- 
terest. 

“ Some years ago, not many in the life of a 
dog, for it is true that we live but short ones, 
there came into our land a couple of great white 
men, and they were anxious to make a long jour- 
ney with dog-trains through our country. As the 
distemper had killed off a great many of the dogs 
of the Hudson Bay traders, they searched through 
the Indian villages and bought up a number of 
dogs to add to those obtained from the white 
men. My mother was a fine, large dog, and she 
was one that was purchased by them. When she 
found out that she had to leave the warm nest 
she had prepared in an old disused fish-house, she 
was very angry, and fought against being 
dragged away; but the men were determined, 
and in spite of her cries and appeals, she was har- 
nessed, and had to go. 

“ These white men had cruel drivers, and they 
showed no pity to the dogs. As they were to be 
paid according to the speed with which they 
traveled, they used their cruel whips without 
mercy. When night overtook them, they camped 
in the forest where the snow was very deep. 


298 Hector, My Dog 

The only resting-places, as we dogs know to our 
sorrow, allowed us, were the holes we could dig 
down in the deep snow. My poor mother did the 
best she could to get a sheltered place for herself 
in her misery, for the cruel, heartless drivers 
made her work as hard in the traces as any other 
dogs. 

“ The third night out in the woods, I and some 
little brother puppies were born. My poor 
mother did all she could to shelter with her warm 
body her little ones from the bitter cold ; but in 
spite of all she could do, one after another froze 
to death, except two of us. In the morning 
when the dogs were being harnessed to begin the 
day’s journey, my poor mother refused to listen 
to the calls of the cruel driver and leave us there 
to perish. 

“ This made him so angry that he came strid- 
ing over the snow on his snow-shoes, and with 
his cruel whip began giving my mother a great 
beating. My mother was generally the gentlest 
of dogs, but now, stung to madness, and with her 
motherly instincts all aroused for her little ones, 
she turned on this brutal driver, and seizing him 
by the leg, she drove her teeth in him so 
thoroughly, that he howled with pain, and 
tumbled over in the snow.” 

Murmurs of applause greeted these words, and 
Koona, who was ever ready for mischief, and who 


Old Nestor 


299 


was especially delighted when any disaster came 
to one of the drivers, all of whom he hated, was 
loudest in his yelpings of delight. Strange to 
say, Yoyageur, the one eyed, who was never 
known to show much affection for men, be they 
white men or Indians, was the one who sprang 
up and earnestly protested against this outburst 
of applause, as being contrary to the dignity of a 
great council. 

Yoyageur’s reproofs of these outbursts of ap- 
plause because the cruel driver had been so 
treated, much surprised most of the dogs, for it 
was well known that it was a cruel blow or 
stroke of a whip, in the hand of a driver, who 
had lost his temper that had caused the matchless 
leader to lose one of his bright eyes. So it was 
evident that Yoyageur had no revengeful feel- 
ings, and so his comrades could not help but 
think the more of him. 

When old Kover, the chairman, had at length 
restored order, Nestor was requested to proceed 
with his story. 

“ When the cruel driver found himself down in 
the snow, and being bitten by an angry dog, he 
was frightened as well as furious. He was partly 
entangled in his big snow-shoes and so was not 
able, with the dog assailing him, to get up on his 
feet. So he yelled out as hard as he could for 
help. 


300 


Hector, My Dog 

“ Fortunately for my mother, and for me also, 
the white man who had purchased her was a 
kind man, and had already become very much 
annoyed at the cruelty of this driver. 

“ Hearing the man’s affrighted calls for help, 
he had been one of the first in the camp who had 
rushed to his assistance. 

“ In some way or other we dogs quickly recog- 
nize who are really our friends among menfolk, 
and so it was here ; for the instant the white man 
reached the spot, my mother ceased worrying the 
cruel driver, and turning quickly to the cold nest 
in the snow, she picked me up in her mouth and 
brought me to his feet. The driver, now re- 
leased from the attacks of my mother, quickly 
sprang to his feet, and furious with rage, raised 
his cruel whip to strike the now trembling dog, 
that with a little helpless puppy in her mouth, 
was mutely appealing for sympathy. And she 
got it, and protection too. For before the cruel 
lash could fall upon my mother, the master, who 
was a big, stalwart man, as well as kind-hearted, 
sprang in front of the angry driver, and wrench- 
ing the whip from him, he gave him a blow so 
vigorous that it sent him again sprawling in the 
snow.” 

This climax of course brought more applause 
from the audience, but it soon died away. 

Strange to say, Koona was so overcome by 


Old Nestor 


301 


Nestor’s story that he was observed trying to 
wipe the tears out of his eyes with his bushy 
tail. 

“ Let there be no more interruptions,” said the 
chairman. “ Nestor will please proceed.” 

“ When the driver had thus been disposed of,” 
said Nestor, “ the master turned to my mother, 
and speaking kindly to her, he stooped down and 
gently took me from her mouth, and with her 
closely following, went with her to the cold nest 
in the snow. There, to his and my mother’s sor- 
row, he found that all the puppies except one and 
myself had frozen to death. 

“ My mother, knowing that he was her friend, 
allowed him to take us two little shivering things 
back to the camp, where the fire was still burn- 
ing. Here on a warm fur robe he placed my 
mother and her two little puppies, and there in 
the warmth she nursed us while the master 
ordered some soup to be made out of some pem- 
mican for our mother. 

“What to do with us was now the question 
that troubled him. To have us killed, he would 
not hear of ; and so after first ordering a warm 
blanket garment to be made for our poor mother, 
which would so protect her that she could nurse 
us at the different resting-places, he took the 
skins of a couple of white rabbits recently killed, 
and wrapping us up warmly in them, he put us 


302 


Hector, My Dog 

in the big hood of his large fur coat. There in 
warmth and comfort we rested and were carried 
for many days, being nursed by our mother, who 
was indeed grateful to our master for his kind- 
ness. For not only did he thus care for us, but 
he would not allow the cruel driver to again 
harness up my mother on that trip. He made 
him get a push stick, and there by his labors so 
push on the sled that the three dogs could do the 
work that the four were expected to do.” 

When Nestor had finished his pathetic story, 
there were great diversities of feelings among the 
dog listeners. Some had been much touched by 
the sufferings that his mother and he had en- 
dured. Others, however, grinned with delight at 
the discomfiture of the cruel driver. 

A brief recess was here taken, and then the 
council resumed its sitting at the call of the 
chairman. 

The next old dog that was barked up amidst 
much applause was old Scar. 

He was, however, so affected by Nestor’s pa- 
thetic story, that had brought up so many mem- 
ories to him, that he was loth to begin. 

The friendly encouragement of the “ bow- 
wows” of his most intimate chums, however, 
helped him, and so he was at length able to start. 
He said : 

“ My mother was part Eskimo, but unlike most 


Old Nestor 


303 


dogs of that race, she was shy and timid. She 
was often beaten by her master, who did not 
understand her, and mistook her nervous, shrink- 
ing ways for obstinacy and sulkiness. 

“ How much better it would be for our masters 
themselves as well as for us dogs, if they would 
study us more. 

“ My mother had a habit, not uncommon 
among Eskimo dogs, when her little ones were 
to be born, of going out into the woods and then 
hiding herself for some days. 

“ It was in the pleasant spring-time with the 
winter work all over. The spot selected by my 
mother was in a large, decayed, fallen hollow 
tree, where at the larger end, was a cozy nest 
capacious and comfortable and well sheltered 
from the wind. Here a number of us little pup- 
pies found ourselves cuddled together. When we 
were able to understand anything we discovered 
that our mother was in perpetual terror about 
something which we could not then comprehend. 
What it was, we found out to our sorrow long 
before we were able to afford our mother any 
help. 

“ It seems that this tree, which was a very long 
one, was also quite hollow at the other end, and 
there our mother had discovered that a pair of 
fierce wildcats had taken up their abode. To 
attack them singly, my mother knew would be 


3°4 


Hector, My Dog 

madness, and so now her sole efforts were to 
keep us quiet until we were large enough to be 
safely taken away from a place so dangerous, for 
it is known to us all that wildcats are rather 
partial to a meal of young puppies if they can get 
them. Fortunately for us, while the large tree 
was hollow at both ends, it was quite solid in the 
middle, and so the wildcats, whose trail led from 
their retreat in an opposite direction, had not as 
yet detected our presence. 

“ This ignorance of us on the part of the wild- 
cats, our mother well knew, could not last very 
long, as we were all well aware how alert and 
watchful are these animals, and how keen is their 
scent. So she was very much worried about it, 
and only remained away from us long enough to 
get something to eat, which fortunately then was 
not very difficult, as the suckers, mullets and jack 
fish were very abundant in the spring freshets. 

“ As the days went by and we grew larger, we 
naturally longed to get out of our cramped quar- 
ters and, puppy-like, try our limbs in romping 
about in the bushes. Our mother’s anxieties 
naturally thus became very great, but she did all 
she could to keep us quietly resting in our nest 
in the hollow log ; but it is difficult to put old 
heads on young shoulders, even if they are pup- 
pies. And so one day when our mother w T as 
away hunting for some food, we all received a 


Old Nestor 


305 

most dreadful fright, and two of our family were 
killed and devoured. 

“ We had, in spite of our mother’s warnings, 
got out of our gloomy nest in the log, into the 
pleasant sunshine, for a puppy romp. Suddenly 
we were aware that there was danger, and tried 
to scramble back into our nest. For there, quite 
near to us, were two fierce wildcats with their 
queer whiskered faces, and big blazing eyes. 
With snarls of triumph, they leaped upon us, and 
each seizing one of my brothers, they sprang up 
on the big log and began devouring the poor lit- 
tle things, whose yelps were soon silenced. 

“ But brief as were those dying yelps, they had 
been heard by our watchful mother, who was not 
far away. Yet frantic as she was with fear for 
us, she was wise enough to know that she alone 
was not a match for two great wildcats, and so 
knowing where other dogs were like herself 
looking for the spring fish in the shallows along 
the shore, she howled and yelped out to them in 
dog language that she was in trouble, and met 
with a quick response. A number of the dogs at 
once dashed up to join her in some adventure of 
which as yet they knew not its character. 

“ In the meantime,” said Scar, “ we three or 
four other puppies that had succeeded in getting 
back to the hollow log, were so terror-stricken, 
that we could only crouch down in the farthest 


306 Hector, My Dog 

corner and there yelp out our fears, which were 
not lessened as we heard the snarls of the two 
great wildcats on the log just above us as they 
were greedily devouring our brothers. So terri- 
fied were we as there we crouched, that it did 
not seem very long before those two savage ani- 
mals had finished their work, and then they, as 
we had feared, came to seize and devour the rest 
of us. Very terrifying were these fierce faces, 
especially their great green eyes that seemed to 
shine so dreadfully as they came and peered into 
the hollow log where we were huddled not far 
away. 

“ That they did not Crowd in and seize us at 
once much surprised us. They would crawl in a 
little way, and then suddenly back out and listen 
to some sounds that we could not hear. Then 
again one or other of them would come in, and 
just when we thought that he would surely seize 
one of us, he too would quickly back out of that 
hollow log and then we could hear them talking 
together in their own language of snarls and 
growls. 

“ At length one of them seemed to make up 
his mind to get us, and so he crawled in that near 
to us that when he struck out at me with one of 
his dreadful paws, one of his sharp claws tore 
down the side of my face and made the wound 
of which this is the scar. 


Old Nestor 


307 


“ You have often asked me how I got this scar, 
and now you know, and the fact that I am called 
Scar is to me ever a reminder of that day when 
I so nearly lost my life. 

“ While I crouched back as far as I could, and 
every moment expected the next blow which 
would surely kill me, it never came. For before 
he could strike again, there was a great commo- 
tion outside, and so now the wildcat was most 
anxious to get out of his close quarters in that 
hollow log. But as he about succeeded, he was 
seized by my mother and some other dogs, and 
after a sharp battle he was killed. 

“ The other wildcat was, after a brief fight, 
able to get up a tree beyond the reach of the 
dogs. The noise, however, which both the dogs 
and wildcats had made, was so great that it 
attracted the attention of some hunters who 
were not far away. They speedily hurried to 
the spot and soon shot the wildcat, which from 
its imaginary place of security in the tree had 
been spitting its defiance to all. 

“ One of these hunters was my mother’s mas- 
ter, and so she quickly brought us out of that 
hollow log and showed us to him. He was in 
great good humor when he saw us, for the price 
of dogs had much risen. So we were speedily 
carried to his wigwam and fairly treated, and 
there our ordinary life as an Indian dog began.” 


308 Hector, My Dog 

A chorus of friendly “bow-wows” greeted 
Scar as he finished his capital story. 

Koona, the tease, who had often chaffed him 
about that strange healed up wound went over 
and kissed it and handsomely apologized for all 
past offenses. 

A sharp discussion now arose in the council as 
to which dog should follow on with the next 
recital of the story of earliest days. 

The general impression of this canine council 
was that Fanny, a matronly old dog, should be 
next, if age were still to be the criterion. 

Dear old Fanny, however, with ruffled spirits 
and noisy words, most decidedly protested against 
being considered more than half as old as some 
declared she was. 

The older dogs, as they listened to Fanny’s 
words, and witnessed her coquettish ways, were 
trying to keep back their grins of humor. Koona, 
who with all his mischief, was a shrewd observer 
of men and women as well as of dogs, as here he 
listened with the rest to Fanny’s pert protesta- 
tions of her youthfulness, simply convulsed the 
council with laughter as he exclaimed : 

“ A woman, for all the world.” 


XXIV 


BEARS 

D EAK old Fanny was indignant at these 
words of Koona’s, and at the applause 
and laughter which followed. 

She was very much ruffled in spirit, and felt 
that her character and influence had been much 
lowered in the council. She was known to be a 
very good talker, quite characteristic of her sex, 
and it was reported that if she would, she could 
give a capital story of her early days. 

The council was now in a quandary, for Fanny 
was still much ruffled. But suddenly was she 
saved from any further annoyance, for very ab- 
ruptly was the council broken up by the attention 
of the dogs being drawn to something else. 

The cause of the excitement was the low, but 
emphatic calls of the old Indians for the dogs, 
and their earnest and exciting movements. 

When the attention of the dogs had been se- 
cured, all the Indian man had to do to create the 
greatest furor and excitement, was to mention 
the two words : 

“ Mooskwa. Mooskwa.” (Bears. Bears.) 

3°9 


3io 


Hector, My Dog 

It seems that while the two old Indians were 
resting and having their quiet smoke out in the 
sunshine after their morning’s visit to the nets, 
they saw a couple of bears swimming among some 
islands. On one of these islands, not far distant, 
the Indians had hung up to dry a quantity of 
white fish. 

As the Indians intently watched the bears, and 
talked over the prospect of capturing one or both 
of them, they observed by their movements that 
they must have caught the scent of the drying 
fish. 

This they had been able to do, as a strong 
wind was blowing directly towards the bears 
from the place where the fish were hung up on 
stagings. 

Keeping well out of sight, the old Indians 
watched the movements of the bears until they 
saw them clamber up out of the water and then 
start off in their awkward, lumbering gallop di- 
rectly towards the fish. 

It was easy enough now to decide how to act. 
And as the dogs would have to play an important 
part in the coming battle with these bears, we 
now see why the council had been so suddenly 
broken up. 

The channel between the island on which the 
Indians and dogs were living, and the one on 
which were the drying fish which the bears were 


Bears 


3i 1 

now probably eating, was only a few hundred 
yards wide. 

The Indians as speedily as possible launched 
their large birch canoe, and placing in it their 
gun and axe and a long pole, to one end of which 
a keen, sharp hunting-knife was bound; they 
brought it close up to the rocl<y shore, and get- 
ting in themselves first, they then had a number 
of the best dogs get in and lie down on the 
bottom. Dogs are wonderfully clever in a canoe. 
They seem to quickly learn what a frail, cranky 
boat it is, and so they keep very quiet when in 
one. 

Calling to the other dogs to swim across, the 
old Indians, who were still vigorous, soon paddled 
the canoe to the other side. 

The bears were now invisible, as the land rises 
up considerably from the shore. But the water 
on the rocks and the imprints of their wet feet 
were still visible where they had landed. 

The instant the dogs landed they took up the 
scent, and with loud yelps, were at once off on 
the trail. 

The plan arranged was that the old man with 
the gun should at once follow the dogs that 
could be depended on to keep the bears busy 
until he came up. His only fears were that at 
least one of them might spring into the lake 
and thus escape. To prevent this, was to be 


312 Hector, My Dog 

the work of the old Indian woman in the 
canoe. 

With their knowledge of the habits of the bears, 
they knew that if either of them attempted to 
reach the water it would likely be as near as 
possible to the spot where they had landed, as 
there the channel was the narrowest. 

So taking her place in the centre of the canoe 
with her improvised lance and axe very handy, 
the old huntress sat there alert and ready for any 
emergency. 

As I, Hector, was one of the dogs allowed in 
the canoe, I dashed on the trail of the bears with 
the rest, but being inexperienced at this kind of 
work, I prudently, and for other reasons, kept 
well in the rear of the other dogs. 

As had been surmised by the Indians, the bears 
had reached the stagings on which the fish were 
drying, and had easily climbed up and thrown a 
large quantity on the ground, which they were 
now eagerly devouring. We noticed that as 
they had such a large quantity before them, 
they were only taking a mouthful or two out of 
each fish, and that was from the parts where the 
fish were the fattest. Thus they had already 
destroyed quite a number. 

The sight of them very much excited the dogs, 
and yet I noticed that even my bravest comrades 
did not close in upon them and try to seize hold 



WHILE HIS GREAT PAWS WERE TRYING TO GIVE ME A DEATH HUG 

THEY SPRANG UPON HIM” 


























































































































































Bears 


313 


of them. They only formed a circle around 
them, and by their incessant barkings, tried to 
get them to move from where they had taken 
shelter among the strong posts of the fish stagings. 

In my excitement, for I had now got over 
the timidity and nervousness that had first kept 
me back, I thought in my ignorance that I 
would show the other dogs what I could do, and 
so seeing what I imagined was a good chance 
to seize one of the bears, I made a mad 
rush for him, and, well — I hardly know what 
happened, except that that bear was quicker 
than I was, and he seized me, big as I am, in 
his great forearms and gave me such a hug that 
it seemed as if he were squeezing the very life 
out of me. 

Fortunately for me, the dogs that were not en- 
gaged with the other bear, now saw their oppor- 
tunity, and so, while his great paws were trying 
to give me a death hug, they sprang in upon him, 
and seizing him by his nose and small ears, they 
tried to master him. As my head, when he gave 
me that terrible hug, was in the way, my com- 
rades had not been able to seize him by the 
throat, and thus by making the fight of his life, 
he was able to get rid of them. 

Throwing me from him, he speedily turned his 
attention to the other dogs. Roaring with rage 
and pain, especially at Buster, the dog who had 


3 H Hector, My Dog 

deeply sunk his teeth into his nose, for that is the 
bear’s most sensitive place, he struck out with the 
force and cleverness of a scientific boxer. One 
dog after another was soon knocked either to the 
right or left, none of them being much hurt, ex- 
cept Buster, who, however, carried away with him 
the piece of the nose in which he had set his sharp 
teeth. 

In a few minutes I had recovered my breath, 
which had been nearly squeezed out of me, and 
finding that I was not much the worse, except 
that my ribs were very sore, I joined limping 
Buster, and as both of us dogs had had enough for 
that day, we did nothing but watch the battle. 

As soon as the bear that had so nearly squeezed 
the life out of me and shaken or knocked off my 
comrades whose attack had saved my life, he 
quickly backed up among the posts of the staging, 
and there he and the other bear seemed to put 
their backs together and thus with their four great 
forearms were able to guard themselves com- 
pletely from the now exasperated dogs that had 
formed a circle around them. 

The bear that had had his nose so torn, was 
whimpering out the story of his wound to his com- 
panion, and when not engaged in repelling the 
attack of some venturesome dog, he was busy 
with his long tongue trying to stop the incessant 
bleeding. 


Bears 


315 


The dogs, rendered cautious by seeing two of 
us so badly used up, were not willing to again 
come to close quarters. So they were trying 
every plan possible to get the bears out in the 
open from among the numerous tree-like pillars 
of the staging. Fortunately for the dogs, there 
were no large trees on that small island. If 
there had been, the bears, on the first sign of 
danger, would have made for them. 

And now there was suddenly a change in the 
mode of battle. 

By some way or other the two bears became 
aware that another enemy was coming, and all 
their present methods of defense would be only 
to their injury. They had become aware that 
the old Indian was rapidly nearing them, and 
something must be done, and that quickly. 

So even before the circle of dogs seemed to be 
aware of the coming of the old Indian, the bears 
suddenly dashed in different places in the circle 
of dogs, and dealing out some cruel left and right 
hand blows, that for a moment seemed to de- 
moralize them all, they hurried off as hard as 
they could gallop for the shores of the lake ; one 
going towards the northeast, and the other to- 
wards the southeast, their object being evidently 
to get round the hunter, who was coming from 
due east. Their intention being as near as possi- 
ble, to get to the spot where they had first come 


316 Hector, My Dog 

ashore as there the channel between this and the 
large wooded island from which they had come 
was the narrowest. 

It is well known by those who study the habits 
of bears, that when on a small island, and fright- 
ened, they will try to swim where the water is 
narrowest. 

So here it was evident that these two bears, 
while trying to get clear of this man with the 
gun, were striving hard to reach the narrow 
channel. 

The dogs, however, soon recovered from the 
sudden attack made upon them, and were speedily 
rushing after them, and as dogs can run faster 
than bears, they were not long in catching up to 
them. 

And now began a scene, or rather two of them, 
that would have made even old Yoyageur laugh. 

The dogs seemed to know that now the game 
was theirs. The bears were speedily overtaken, 
and then as there were still six dogs able to fight, 
three of them went after each bear, although two 
would have been enough. One of the dogs rushed 
up alongside or rather a little ahead of the bear, 
and thus attracted his attention, but taking good 
care to keep out of his reach. The bear thus en- 
gaged was rendered powerless to ward off the at- 
tack of the dog that noiselessly but suddenly 
rushed up and severely nipped him in the muscle 


Bears 


317 

of one of his hind legs, which, next to his nose, is 
his most sensitive part. 

Sometimes when thus assailed in his rear, a 
bear in his rage and pain will turn a complete 
somersault to the more speedily get his hind leg 
out of the reach of his tormentors. Generally, 
however, he quickly turns round to catch 
and punish the cunning dog who, having got 
in his work, is wise enough to keep out of 
reach. 

This is now the opportunity for the dog that 
had been running at the front. With his speedy 
whirling round, he is instantly at his rear, and 
with his sharp teeth, he gives the bear another 
bite in the same tender place. This brings him 
round again with greater howls of pain and more 
furious rage. But ere he can get his paws upon 
him, his merciless pursuers in the rear are now 
again the assailants. 

From this on, the fight was in circles; and so 
the progress of the bears towards the water was 
slow, indeed. 

Buster and I were not so badly hurt but we 
were able to follow along and watch the fun, for 
such it now seemed to the dogs to be, as they had 
speedily become accustomed to the work. 

We were somewhat surprised at the long delay 
in the Indian’s coming, but overheard him saying 
later on that he had forgotten his powder horn, 


318 Hector, My Dog 

having left it in the canoe. However, during the 
time he was going after it, the dogs were having 
rare fun with the bears. 

The only drawback to the sport of that day 
was the sad, fatal accident that happened to one 
of the dogs. He was one of those that was not 
brought over in the canoe, as eight of us made up 
quite a heavy enough load with the old man and 
woman who paddled us over. It seems that 
several of the dogs swam over after us. As they 
could not keep up to the canoe, they were not in 
at the first of the fight, but eagerly entered into 
it on their arrival. 

Lacking the experience and caution of the old 
bear dogs, they got many a cuff and nip. Still 
they recklessly rushed in and really more im- 
peded the work of the experienced dogs than 
aided them. 

One of the bears soon seemed to understand 
this, and so recklessly disregarding the latest bite 
on his hind legs, he suddenly threw himself with 
fury on one of these inexperienced dogs, and 
seizing him in his powerful arm-like paws, he 
gave him such a hug, that we could hear his ribs 
break like sticks. 

Poor young Argo ! He was indeed done 
for. 

In vain the rest of the dogs threw themselves 
on the bear, and so held him down that he could 


do no further damage, but the poor dog was 
crushed beyond recovery. 

Fortunately, the old Indian now came up, and 
placing his gun near the bear’s head, the savage 
brute was instantly killed. 


XXV 


SAGASTAO’S QUESTION 


B UT how fared it with the other bear ? 

Buster and I had been so excited in 
watching the one just killed, that we had 
hardly noticed that the other one, although very 
much worried by the dogs that had attacked 
him, had managed to get quite near the water. 

So, while the old Indian was reloading his gun, 
we dogs at once rushed off to see how this second 
battle was progressing. 

Strange to say, the addition of more dogs 
rather impeded the fight than helped it on, as the 
dogs were continually getting in each other’s 
way, thus enabling the bear, while desperately 
fighting in circles, to get, foot by foot, nearer to 
the water. 

The old Indian, who had succeeded in reload- 
ing his old flint-lock gun, at length reached the 
scene of conflict ; but he was so out of breath and 
excited, that when he fired, his bullet only grazed 
the bear’s head, tearing a bit off the scalp. And 
as it glanced off the skull, it broke the leg of one 
of our best dogs. The howling of poor Billy 
With his broken leg so diverted the attention of 
320 


3 21 


Sagastao’s Question 

the rest of the dogs that the bear, now terrified 
more than ever by the sight of the man and the 
report of the gun as well as the wound he had re- 
ceived, recklessly charged the old Indian, and 
knocking him over with one blow, dashed 
through the dogs and sprang into the water. 
And before we hardly knew what had happened, 
for everything was done so quickly, there the big 
bear was over that cliff, and swimming for dear 
life towards the other shore. 

A few of the dogs jumped in after him, but 
they had but little chance of overtaking him, as 
bears, with their powerful forearms and hand-like 
paws, are great swimmers. 

There was, however, another foe, that the bear 
little imagined, on the lookout for him. 

The old Indian woman’s quick eye had seen 
him jump into the water, and so paddling her 
canoe, she came alongside just near enough to be 
out of danger. Then with her lance-like spear, 
she gave him but one thrust which was quite 
enough, as it pierced him behind his shoulder and 
entered his heart. 

It was nearly dark when the two Indians, with 
us tired, excited dogs and the dead bears, reached 
our island home. Argo, the dog that had been 
crushed to death by the bear, was buried with all 
respect. Billy with his broken leg was well 
cared for in the wigwam of the Indians until 


322 Hector, My Dog 

some one could be brought from the mission to 
set the bone. 

The council that had been so abruptly broken 
up by the sudden appearance of the bears, was 
never again called together. 

It seems that Fanny, who had been joined by 
Muff and some other female dogs, had had a 
scene with Rover, the chairman, and so emphat- 
ically did Fanny give him a piece of her mind 
about his ungallant conduct in even asking a lady 
dog to give herself away as regards her age, or 
even for a moment permitting the thing to be 
discussed and even laughed about in open council. 

Good-natured old Rover was completely cowed 
by the way in which these lady dogs dressed him 
down. He meekly begged their pardon, and then 
and there faithfully promised that the matter 
should never be referred to again in any council 
of which he might have charge. 

And, dog-like, Rover was faithful to his word. 

The next day after the battle with the bears, 
the old Indian man, leaving us dogs in the care 
of his wife, took the canoe and paddled away to 
the mission to carry the news to our master. 

That afternoon as he was very much interested 
in the Indians’ story, he had the big mission boat 
made ready, and with supplies for a few days’ 
outing, he and Sagastao and several Indian men 
came over to our island. 


323 


Sagastao’s Question 

We dogs were all delighted to see our masters. 
They at once, after giving us their usual cheery 
greetings, went to see poor Billy in the wigwam. 

Billy was very glad to see them, for somehow 
or other that I cannot explain, he seemed to know 
that their coming meant relief, for the old In- 
dians had done nothing for him, and so the 
wounded leg was swollen and painful. He was 
very patient and good while the master and Ken- 
nedy set the broken bone and dressed the leg. 

Sagastao, his little master, was very sorry to 
see one of his train thus injured, and so he sat 
down, and with his little white hands on the head 
of his dog, soothed him so that as he lay there on 
the buffalo robe, while he moaned a little he 
never once growled nor struggled all the time the 
work of setting the bone was going on. Yet we 
heard the master say that having been neglected 
so long, it must have been very painful. 

So around that buffalo-skin out in the sunshine 
where our wounded comrade lay, after the bone 
was set, some of us dogs gathered, and when a 
moan would escape from poor Billy, we could not 
but sit up and howl out our sympathy. Then 
when we saw the tears in the eyes of Sagastao, 
as in words so tender, he soothed the suffering 
dog, we were startled, and in our increased love 
for him who so loved us dogs, we wondered what 
that was which was within him that caused this 


3 2 4 


Hector, My Dog 

love and sympathy for the suffering Billy. And 
when, afterwards, I heard that it was his soul or 
spirit in him that lives forever, I could not but 
help, in my dog way, wondering whether we 
dogs, that can feel sorry too, have not something 
like that spirit in us, and that perhaps it also will 
live forever. 

The master and Sagastao, much to our delight, 
we soon discovered had come to spend some days 
on the island. A tent had been brought in case 
it should rain, but when the weather was fine, 
which it most generally was, he and Sagastao 
preferred to spend all of the time outside, as it 
was so warm and dry. We dogs were allowed to 
accompany them as they rambled over the rocks 
and along the smooth, sandy shores 

The master, who carried a hammer with him, 
spent much time in breaking off bits of different 
kinds of stone and rocks, while Sagastao gath- 
ered beautiful mosses or ferns to carry home to 
his dear mother and Minnehaha. 

But while these rambles in the glorious sum- 
mer sunshine were very pleasant, I most enjoyed 
the evening hours at the great fires which the 
men built up in some pleasant place. There the 
bears’ paws were roasted while their spare ribs 
and other dainty portions were cooked with 
abundance of the splendid white fish just taken 
out of the nets, in addition to the supplies 


Sagastao’s Question 325 

brought from the mission. There was abundance 
for all, and many a dainty bit did Sagastao give 
to me. 

Then when the evening meal was over, and all 
gathered round that camp-fire, masters and In- 
dians, and many of the dogs, I heard many things 
that even if I did not understand all, yet I lis- 
tened to many that interested me, and have tried 
to ponder them over ; but alas, I have to mourn 
that I am only a dog, and am so ignorant. 

There was one night that I shall not soon 
forget. 

The men had spread out a quantity of the 
beautiful soft, dry moss, which is there so abun- 
dant, and on it had made the bed for the master 
and Sagastao. 

For hours in the beautiful twilight and early 
night they sat there on the robes of that bed and 
talked, while the Indians listened, and once in a 
while asked a question. 

The sun had gone down in splendor, and the 
stars one by one had come out in beauty. The 
crescent shaped moon hung low in the sky, and 
then the Northern lights came out in multitudes, 
clothed in beautiful colors, and danced and flitted 
across the heavens above and north of us. 

The day had been one of brightest sunshine, 
and now was followed by this night of wondrous 
beauty. 


326 Hector, My Dog 

The pleasant talk that had gone on for some 
time had gradually ceased, as though silence was 
most in harmony with the weird, beautiful sur- 
roundings. 

The only sounds that fell upon our ears were 
the ripples of the waves upon the shore, or the 
cry of some night bird that had strayed away 
from its mate or nest. 

After a time, Sagastao, who had, like the oth- 
ers, been silent, called me to him, and after giv- 
ing me a corner of the buffalo robe on which he 
was seated, and telling me to cuddle down where 
he could keep his hand upon my head, began 
talking to me. 

“Well, Hector, we are both sorry for poor 
Billy : are we not ? 

“ Poor Billy with his broken leg ; I saw that 
you were sorry for him. For when he moaned 
while they were fixing his leg, which must have 
hurt him very much, you set up and yelped and 
howled. And I felt very sorry too, and I could 
not keep the tears out of my eyes.” 

So I was pleased as I thus heard my young 
master talk about Billy ; and I was sure by his 
voice that he was sorry for him. Then turning 
to his father, who had been for some time in 
silence watching the flashing, blazing, beautiful 
auroras, he said : 

“ Father ! ” 


Sagastao’s Question 327 

“Well, my boy, what is it ? ” 

“ What is it, father dear, in me that made me 
feel so sorry when I heard that Argo had been 
killed by the bear, and then made me almost cry 
when Billy moaned while you were setting the 
bone in his injured leg ? ” 

“ Why, your soul within you was stirred to 
pity, when you heard of the death of Argo, and 
then again when you saw how Billy suffered.” 

“ But, father dear, what is my soul ? ” 

“ The spiritual part of you, which dwells within 
you, my son ! It is vastly superior to your body, 
which is really only the cage for the soul. The 
body will die, but the soul or spirit by which we 
love and mourn and have a thousand emotions, 
will live on forever.” 

“ But, father dear, I saw Hector and some of 
the other dogs sit up and cry and howl in sor- 
row as they heard the moans of the suffering 
Billy. What was it in them that made them 
feel such pity and sorrow for their comrade ? ” 

“You have asked me a question, my boy, that 
for ages has been pondered over, and is still sur- 
rounded by clouds and mystery.” 

“But, father dear, what is it in Hector that 
makes him pity, and also makes him love us so 
much ? ” 

“ Something in him that corresponds to the 
soul or spirit in us,” was the reply. 


328 Hector, My Dog 

“ Is it a soul ? ” said the boy. 

“ I do not say so,” was the reply. 

“ Will it live forever ? ” 

“ I dare not say so.” 

“ Why not, my father ? ” 

“Because neither nature nor revelation has 
given us any positive answer.” 

For a time my little master was silent, and 
then he began again : 

“ Father, dear ? ” 

“ Well, my boy, what is it now ? ” 

“ I heard you talking with mother dear about 
what is called ‘The astronomic system of the 
universe.’ What do all those big words mean ? ” 
The father feeling that perhaps he was on sure 
ground here, readily replied, 

“ It is the theory of many wise men, that every 
ray of light flashed out, and every sound once ut- 
tered, be it a shout of gladness or a cry of pain, 
still continues somewhere in this great universe, 
even if we see not the light nor hear the sound.” 

“Father,” said the boy, “have these rays of 
light or sounds any souls like ours ? ” 

“ Certainly not ! ” 

“Have they in them that which Hector has 
which makes him love us so loyally, and that 
causes him to feel sorry for Billy ? ” 

“ Certainly not ! ” 

“And yet,” continued the lad, “the rays of 


329 


Sagastao’s Question 

light and sounds that have no souls or spirits, 
live on forever, but not the spirits of such 
splendid dogs as Jack and Cuffy and Hector.” 

“I did not say so,” said the father. 

For a time Sagastao lay there on his back on 
the fur robe, and in silence gazed at the glorious 
heavens above him. There, without any fog or 
mist or clouds, the stars in that wondrous sky 
shone out with undimmed splendor. 

An occasional meteor flashed across the heavens, 
while sinking in the west the half filled moon in 
increasing brightness shone as the long gloaming 
was gradually giving way before the increasing 
darkness of the night. 

Mysterious auroras, like armies in the sky, 
seemed to come out, regiment after regiment, 
and fight their ghostly battles, and then retire 
before other wondrous displays. 

“ Father, dear ! ” 

“Well, my son,” was the response. 

“That was a lovely verse you read to-night. 
‘The heavens declare the glory of God, and 
the firmament showeth his handiwork.’ ” 

“Yes! And I am pleased that you have re- 
membered it so well.” 

“ Father, dear ! How large is God’s uni- 
verse ? ” 

The father’s voice was low and solemn, as he 
replied : 


330 


Hector, My Dog 

“ God alone can answer that question.” 

Sagastao was hushed into silence for some 
time, and then he began again. 

“I have been lying here looking up at the 
stars, and far away beyond the larger ones, I see 
others : great numbers of them. Can any of 
the big telescopes see to the last of them ? ” 

“No, my boy. The most powerful telescopes 
can bring within the range of vision millions that 
the keenest eye unaided cannot see ; and yet they 
tell us that the stars in countless myriads stretch 
on and on beyond them.” 

“What a vast and wonderful place then God’s 
universe is,” said Sagastao. “ And I cannot help 
but think that if there is room in it for every 
flashing ray of light and every passing sound, 
there surely must be room for the souls or spirits 
of these bonny dogs of ours, that love us so well 
and truly.” 

“Yes, indeed, they do love us. Is that not so, 
Hector ? ” 

Then my little master began talking to his 
father of things that I had never before heard. 

“ You remember, father dear, when I was so 
sick, and you and mother thought I was going to 
die, how Jack would not leave the room, and for 
days refused to eat. 

“Then you remember how you brought me 
books when I was better, telling some wonderful 


Sagastao’s Question 331 

true stories of dogs that had died from grief for 
their masters, as you were sure that Jack would 
have died for me. 

“Surely in this great universe which reaches 
out above and all around us, there is room for 
the spirits of dogs that can show so much love 
and pity, as even to die for those they love so 
well.” 

To those last words of Sagastao, the master re- 
plied not. There were stirred within him the 
memories of those dark, sad days when his only 
boy lay at the point of death, and for him noth- 
ing more could be done. So in intense solicitude, 
they had awaited the issue, which fortunately 
was life instead of death ; and vividly there came 
up before him the pathetic sight of the great dog, 
that had kept his constant vigil at the bedside of 
his little playfellow, and refused to be comforted, 
and would not eat for days, until the child was 
able to speak to him. 

“ But, father, who knows ? ” Then the little 
head dropped restfully on my body, and in a mo- 
ment or two my little master was sound asleep. 

| 4 Of course I, Hector, only a dog, was not able 
to comprehend these deep things about which my 
masters talked, as there we rested on the fur 
robes that beautiful night under the stars ; but 
there have come to me some dim thoughts or 
dreams, or impressions, that if our masters, who 


332 


Hector, My Dog 


have loved us so well here, and have had any 
happiness because of our loyalty and devoted 
love to them, are to live forever and forever in 
perfect happiness, who knows but that some of 
us dogs that made them happy here, may be per 
mitted, by our companionship and love, to have 
some little share in adding to or completing their 
felicity where existence in that great universe is 
eternal. 

Who knows ? Who knows ? 



7 76 ^ 










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